Matthew Colpoys

1936 - 1983  (47 years)

• Name	Matthew Colpoys
  Relationship	with Thomas Clark
  Census	1935  [1]
  Born	25 Sep 1936	New York   [2, 3, 4, 5]
  Gender	Male
  Census	1940	Buffalo, Erie Co., New York   [1]
  Marital Status: Single; Relation to Head of Household: Son
  Social Security Number	072-30-5919
  Died	Dec 1983	Buffalo, Erie Co., New York   [2, 3, 4, 5]
  Buried	Lackawanna, Erie Co., New York   [4]
  Notes	He was a fireman in the Buffalo Fire Dept., and was killed in the propane explosion on Division St. on Dec. 26, 1983. It was the worst Fire Dept. accident in Buffalo history. From firehouse.com: “As firefighters arrived at the scene of a reported propane leak in a three-story radiator warehouse, a massive explosion occurred, killing five firefighters instantly and injuring nine others, three of them critically. The force of the blast blew Ladder 5's tillered aerial 35 feet across the street into the front yard of a dwelling. Engine 1's pumper was also blown across the street with the captain and driver pinned in the cab with burning debris all around them. Engine 32's engine was blown up against a warehouse across a side street and covered with rubble. Two civilians were also killed and another 60 to 70 were injured. While operating at the rescue effort, another 19 firefighters were injured. The blast and ensuing fire ignited 14 residences and damaged as many as 130 buildings over a four-block area. The explosion occurred when an employee was moving an illegal 500-lb. propane tank with a forklift truck and dropped it, breaking off a valve. The gas leaked out, found an ignition source, and the explosion occurred.”
  Person ID	I785	BisantzCaldiero
  Last Modified	15 Nov 2018

  
  

  Father	Edward "Eddie" J. Colpoys           b. 22 Jul 1912, New York           d. Jun 2003, Leon, Cattaraugus Co., New York  (Age 90 years)
  Mother	Alice Jordan           b. 19 Dec 1916, Buffalo, Erie Co., New York           d. 28 Aug 1968, Erie Co., New York  (Age 51 years)
  Family ID	F73	|  Family Chart

  
  

  Spouse / Partner	Living
  Children	1. Living   2. Living   3. Living
  Last Modified	15 Nov 2018
  Family ID	F84	|  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Census - 1940 - Buffalo, Erie Co., New York  Died - Dec 1983 - Buffalo, Erie Co., New York  Buried - - Lackawanna, Erie Co., New York   = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend

  
  

• Reference

  "Matthew Colpoys". Pitard.net - Buffalo Families. https://buffalo.pitard.net/getperson.php?personID=I785&tree=caldiero1 (accessed October 22, 2019).