This chemical fire engine manufactured by the Combination Ladder Company was produced in the late 1800s. It is equipped with two 40-gallon chemical tanks filled with a sodium bicarbonate solution. Much like a soda/acid extinguisher, the tanks held a bottle of acid that, once combined with the sodium bicarbonate solution, would create carbon dioxide gas. The pressure from this chemical reaction would propel water out of the attached hoses. Once activated, the water stream was able to reach over 80 feet.

It is unknown when this chemical engine was produced and where it was used. In September 1976, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway purchased the apparatus at an auction for $5,000. The engine joined the collection at the Koorsen Museum in March 2017.

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