Obituaries

Herbert Heimie Hamrol, the last survivor of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, has died at the age of 106.

As recently as 2000, there were 16 survivors at the annual quake commemoration, held at 5:12 a.m. at Lotta's Fountain to mark the exact moment the quake began. But last year, on the 102nd anniversary, Mr. Hamrol was the only survivor present.

Planners of the annual event now know of no survivors to invite to this year's event.

"I suppose this year we will all go down there and toast Herb Hamrol at 5:12 in the morning," said publicist Lee Houskeeper, who has helped organize the annual event for more than 25 years.

"This time, it will be for Herb."

Gladys Hansen, a historian who wrote a book on the 1906 earthquake and fire, believes there may still be some survivors. She noted that San Francisco had a population of more than 400,000 at the time of the quake and some, somewhere, must still be alive.

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