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A memorial for all nine of Lewiston’s fallen firefighters rests outside Central Fire Station on Bates Street. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

• Capt. Phillippe Bazinet, 42. Born in Tabaskaville, Canada, he joined the department in 1900 and was a captain of Hose Company No. 4. He died on Dec. 24, 1909, when a wall collapsed at the Callahan Block fire at 274 Lisbon St. 

• Pvt. Thomas King, 28. He had been a substitute firefighter for a few weeks when, on Dec. 24, 1909, he was also killed when the wall collapsed at the Callahan Block fire at 274 Lisbon St. 

• Pvt. John Byrne, born in 1872 in County Kerry, Ireland. He joined the department in 1904 and became a clerk of Hose Company No. 1. He was thrown off a ladder and into the street on Feb. 8, 1910, during a building collapse at Main and Middle streets. He died on Feb. 15 from his injuries. 

• Capt. Russell Tarr, 48. Born in Lewiston in 1901, he became a permanent member of the department in 1938 and was a captain at the time of his death. He died on July 7, 1949, when Lewiston and Auburn firetrucks collided at Court and Main streets in Auburn as both fire departments responded to a fire alarm. Another firefighter and an Auburn policeman directing traffic were also killed and several others were injured.

• Pvt. Marcien Vallee, 27. Born in Lewiston in 1922, he was a veteran of World War II and joined the Lewiston Fire Department in 1948. He also died on July 7, 1949, when the two firetrucks collided in Auburn.

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• Capt. Willie Mailhot, 60. Born in Lewiston in 1904, he became a permanent firefighter in 1938 and was a captain at the time of his death. He was run over by a Fire Department vehicle at a fire on Lowell Street on May 2, 1965. 

• Pvt. Paul Nadeau, born in 1913. He died of a heart attack on April 30, 1966, in the fire station after battling a fire at the Exchange Hotel on Chapel Street. 

• Lt. Emilien Couture, born in 1926. He died of a heart attack while fighting a fire on Byron Avenue on May 9, 1967. 

• Pvt. Gerard Desjardins, 35. He died on Sept. 8, 1982, when he was run over by a Fire Department vehicle while answering a false alarm at 66 Knox St. 

Source: Rick Cailler, president IAFF #785 Lewiston Firefighters Association

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