~ THE 1940's ~

When the Central Station was built in 1907, it was more than adequate for horse drawn trucks, but now forty years old, the wood floor could not support the weight of the newer motorized apparatus. Sam managed to get a cement floor installed in 1946. Chief Sam Daoust's wish finally came true when a new 85 foot Seagrave aerial ladder truck graced Marlborough's Central Station in 1948. Used to raise a big ladder, it eliminated the need for many operators, it could be operated by one man, relieving the others for other duty. The truck also had a 250 gpm water pump, a 300 gallon tank and 150 feet of rubber hose which could be used with the ladder for chimney fires.

1948 SeagraveAerial Truck fighting the O'Connell Factory fire on Howe St. in 1967

It is now February 11, 1949, just after noon. Sam Daoust had been Chief for over 18 years. An alarm sounds; a building fire at Al's Electric Service in the rear of  52 Main at the corner of Cotting Ave. brings out the trucks. Sam is in command; while directing operations, he suffers a fatal heart attack. He would be missed by the whole department.

Chief Sam Daoust

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