In the early morning hours of March 10, 1941, 13 Brockton firefighters were killed and an additional 20 were injured while fighting a fire in the Strand Theatre, located in downtown Brockton. Firefighters were operating in the balcony area struggling to open the heavy plaster walls when the roof collapsed. Twelve firefighters died at the scene. A thirteenth firefighter was rescued but succumbed to his injuries within days of the fire.