Mag Smith was assigned to Engine 10 on the night of February 9, 1929, when a fire broke out at a residence on 2704 Congress. The house was heavily involved with fire. Engine 10 arrived at the scene, and stopped at the fire hydrant down the block. Mag got off the back of the fire truck to hook a hose line to a fire hydrant, when Engine 10 proceeded to the fire. A hose coupling caught in the bed of the pumper pulled the end of the hose like a slingshot from the grasp of Mag. When this happened, the hose couple hit him in the head, killing him instantly.