Pictured, from left, are Assemblyman Jack McEneny, Sen. Neil Breslin, Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, Sen. Cathy Young, OGS Commissioner RoAnn Destito and Albany Fire Chief Warren Abriel. Submitted photo

ALBANY (AP) — A plaque has been unveiled at the New York state Capitol to honor a man who died when a massive fire tore through the Albany statehouse more than a century ago. State Sen. Cathy Young spearheaded the effort to recognize Samuel Abbott, a 78-year-old decorated Civil War veteran.

Abbott, originally from the Syracuse area, was working as a night watchman when a fire broke out inside the Capitol around 2 a.m. on March 29, 1911. The fury of the fire was so powerful it twisted metal framing in the iconic skylight above the Great Western Staircase, sending the glass panels raining down on the stairs below.

By the time firefighters arrived, the blaze had grown into an inferno consuming hundreds of thousands of books, historic documents and artifacts. Abbott’s body was found on a fourth-floor passageway.

State lawmakers unveiled a plaque honoring Abbott outside the Legislative Library on the Capitol’s third floor Thursday, the 107th anniversary of the fire.

Legislation for the plaque was sponsored by Sen. Cathy Young, of Olean, and Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, of Albany.

“My determination to honor Samuel Abbott began in October 2016 when I heard a tour guide leading the Capitol’s popular ‘Ghost Tour’ stating that Samuel Abbott died a few steps outside my door in the Capitol Fire of 1911,” Young said in a statement. “He said the dedicated night watchman who guarded the State Library was said to still roam the Capitol, making his rounds and keeping the building safe. Yet, when I did more research, I discovered that Samuel Abbott was an individual of sterling character and dedication whose actions that evening were valiant and selfless.”

“Like many people who do extraordinary things when duty calls, Samuel Abbott found himself in catastrophic and unforeseen circumstances on March 29, 1911. Instead of fleeing, accounts indicate he selflessly delayed his exit from the fiery hallways to ensure no others were trapped,” she continued. “A decorated Civil War hero and long-standing public servant, his actions on that night were in keeping with the devotion to duty that had always guided him. Sadly, that delay cost him his life.”

“From today forward, Samuel Abbott will be justly recognized and honored for his service and sacrifice to the people of New York State. No longer a mere ghost story or legend, this permanent tribute affirms Mr. Abbott’s place in one of the turn of the century’s most devastating fires and in the permanent historical record of the Capitol.”

Heralded as an architectural tour de force when Governor Theodore Roosevelt declared it complete in 1899 after more than 25 years of construction and $25 million dollars, New York State’s Capitol was a showplace designed to reflect the state’s status as a leader in population and industry. Constructed of a granite exterior with extensive marble interior, it was regarded as fireproof at the time and, consequently, without fire prevention measures.

Young said Abbott’s life and service has “long been an overlooked aspect of the historic fire,” which was the second catastrophic fire within one week. Just four days prior, on March 25, 1911, 600 workers, the vast majority of whom were women, were working at the Triangle Shirtwaist Coat factory in New York City when a fire began in a rag bin, quickly growing into a raging inferno.

Added Gov. Andrew Cuomo: “Samuel J. Abbott served this nation and this state with honor and his tragic passing was a significant moment in the history of this building,” Governor Cuomo said. “With this marker, we will help ensure that his contributions and his memory will not be forgotten.”

Neglected safety features and locked doors within the building contributed to the disaster which ultimately claimed 145 lives within 18 minutes. Together, the two fires spurred a wave of workplace safety laws, including the Sullivan-Hoey Fire Prevention Law.