James T. Glass

On July 23, 1916, Firefighter James T. Glass, of the Austin Fire Department responded to the new department’s first major fire in the Kreisle Building, located at Congress Avenue and 4th Street, and still stands today. Firefighter James T. Glass had his spine crushed when he was caught under a falling wall and staircase. He lay paralyzed at Brackenridge Hospital until his death on August 17, 1917. Four firefighters were also seriously injured.