Bunting Block Fire

At 8 PM on Friday, May 23rd, 1969, an explosion & resulting fire destroyed the Dietrich & another building at Main and Buffalo Streets. The stores that we lost were D.C. Dress Shop, Chuck's Shoe Repair & Leather Goods Store, The Poodle Shop, Hamburg Record Mart, and Edie's Restaurant. Two workers were badly burned in the explosion, and one died from his injuries. Fourteen fire companies responded to the general alarm including companies from the Cities of Buffalo and Lackawanna. The fire was declared under control at 11:15 PM that evening.
Source: May 24th, 1969 Courier-Express

Left: D.C. Dress Shop on Main Street
Left: Chuck's Shoe Repair & Leather Goods, corner of Main & Buffalo Steets
Left: Hamburg Record Mart on Buffalo Street. The entrance to Edie's Restaurant is the double doors to the right of the Record Mart. According to the Courier-Express, a "flock of teenagers" helped to remove stock to safety from the Record Mart.

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