On the evening of Monday, September 3, 1917, a fire believed to be incendiary broke out at the West Side Iron & Metal Company. By the time Columbus firefighters arrived, the building was fully involved, and the fire had spread to the adjacent Columbus Bottling Company.

More than a dozen fire companies responded, battling the blaze for over an hour as embers carried the fire to nearby residences.

As firefighters battled the blaze, they began relocating Engine 12, a steamer, to another hydrant. But as the apparatus was moved to a new hydrant at Levee and Broad Streets, it suddenly broke free and began rolling downhill toward the Columbus Bottling Company. Engineer Charles Brehm tried desperately to stop the runaway engine but was caught between the apparatus and the building. The force of the impact fractured his pelvis in three places and punctured his liver. 

Charles Brehm died the following day at Grant Hospital from his injuries. He was a firefighter who answered the call when his community needed him, and his story remains a reminder of the dangers and sacrifices firefighters face in the line of duty.