January 22, 2025 Geri Duff
Saturday, January 8, 1944, about 1:30 a.m. Patrolman Reino Wyman smelled smoke in Hingham Square and traced it to the corner of South and Central Streets. He then sounded the alarm. When Fire Chief Kimball arrived minutes later with Hingham’s fire engines, he called for a 2 nd alarm which brought help from Hull, Cohasset, the Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard and the Red Cross Canteen workers. During the fire, the Red Cross served coffee and donuts from the Wompatuck Club (today’s Community Center) to firefighters. The fire was fought from all sides including the South Street side where firefighters worked from the roof of the Hingham Journal. At this time the American Legion Post was on the second floor and quick work by Firefighter William Coney saved all the relics by moving them, through the windows, to the Journal office. The fire was out by 8:30 a.m. Loud’s Liquor Store and the Old Ship Galley Restaurant planned to be open within a week’s time. This appears to be the only photograph of the fire and it is in many public and private collections.