1908 Metz Fire List of Victims

The greatest tragedy in Presque Isle County was the Metz fire of 1908. It happened on a Thursday afternoon, October 15.

The town of Metz was wiped off the map.

 William Barratt, brakeman, D & M Railroad – burial in Alpena, MI 

Leo Buskowski/Bush/Brzoskowski – Pulawski Twp. burial in St. Casimir in Posen

Mrs. George (Lizzie) Cicero – burial in Rogers City Memorial Park 

Margaret Cicero – age 7, burial in Rogers City Memorial Park 

Geraldine (Gerlene)  Cicero – age 2,  burial in Rogers City Memorial Park 

George Cicero, Jr.  – age 5.  burial in Rogers City Memorial Park 

Elizabeth Dost, 3 or 4 years old, daughter of Mathias Dost, burial in Old St. Dominic’s Cemetery

Mrs. Herman (Otille) Erke, 31 years, Pulawski Twp. – burial in St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery 

Gertrude Erke 8 years old, Pulawski Twp –– burial in St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery 

Matilda Erke 6 years old,  Pulawski Twp burial in St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery 

Charles (Charlie) Erke, 4 years old, Pulawski Twp – burial in St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery 

Lorene Erke, 2 years old,  Pulawski Twp – burial in St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery 

Mrs. Edward (Emma) Hardies, Metz,  - burial in St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery
 
Pauline Therese Auguste Hardies – age 9, Metz, burial in St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery

Maria Bertha Helene Hardies – age 3, Metz, burial in St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery

Wilhelmine Marie Pauline Hardies – age 8 months, Metz, burial in St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery 

Henry Kempf (Kemp) Metz Township

Mrs. Henry Kempf (Kemp) – Metz Township

Mary Kempf (Kemp) – Metz Township

Henry Kempf (Kemp), Jr. – Metz Township

Mrs. John (Eufrozyna) Konieczny – burial in Old St. Dominic’s Cemetery 

Jan (Johnnis, John) Konieczny - 2 yrs old – burial in Old St. Dominic’s Cemetery 

Helen (Helena) Konieczny - 7 months old – burial in Old St. Dominic’s Cemetery 

Josef (Joseph) Konieczny - 3 yrs old– burial in Old St. Dominic’s Cemetery 

Art Lee, fireman burial in Alpena MI

John Nowicki, Jr., Metz - Possibly buried in an unmarked grave in Holy Cross Cemetery in Alpena, MI

Mrs. John (Catherine) Nowicki, Jr. (body was never found)

Mrs. William Rose, Ocqueoc

Mrs. John Pochinski

John  A. Samp, Pulawski – burial in St. Casimir in Posen

Olga Seavert, Wolf Creek

Mrs. John Sezerski and three children, Posen

Robert  Herman Wagner, son of Anthony (Tony)  – age 18,  burial in St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery 

unidentified man

unidentified body, believed to be a child's


The Metz Fire of 1908: 100th Anniversary Commemorative Edition, Presque Isle County Historical Museum, 2008. 

The Metz Fire of 1908: the Most destructive forest fire in the history of modern Michigan, Presque Isle County Historical Society, n.c.