The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-07-28
TWO FIREMEN BURIED
BY Burning Wall Of the Union Pacific Ice
House Yesterday.

At3:25 Yesterday afternoon the citizens
of Ogden were stirred up by the sounding
of an alarm of fire. The engines In the
Union Pacific freight yards shrieked with
terror which made plain the fact the blaze
was located therein the Union Pacific Ice
houses. The firemen responded very
promptly, but little did they know wnen
they left the engine house that two OF
their number were to suffer awful torture
and injury.
AS in the case of the reform school the
department were powerless to do anytnihH
On the start for the want OF water.
Although while they were striving TO get
within the reach Of plenty two switch en-
gines were engaged in throwing streams
of water through two small-sized hoLe,
which seemed to make more fuel Tor the
surging flames.
The fire boys worked as best they could,
and by the time line OF hose was run from
the nearest hydrant the roof of the build
ing, which was several hundred feet long,
Ind fallen in and almost the entire walls
were wrapped in flames, and each moment
they became more and more In danger OF
falling. The crowd that mad satu-
cred was enormous, and there
We're hundreds who kept con
tinually putting themselves in the way OF
the chief. tiremen, railroad men and IN TACT
everybody else. Several engines were en-
gagged in cleaning the freight cars from the
tracks that surrounded the building, ana
had it not been for the aid OF number OF
men who pushed good many away oy
main strength, it is likely that they, too,
would have burned. When the water was
turned on from the hydrant, the nozzle
men. Stark and Hewitt, fought bravely
and forced their way through the heat and
smoke to subdue the flames. Hundreds OF
eyes were turned toward them while they
were in the perilbus condition guiding the
stream OF water. Many warned them that
the walls were unsafe and were apt TO fall,
but the boys stood to their posts until a
part of the east wall fell in on them.
The crowd was perfectly crazed with
fear that two men would be scorched TO
death beneath the burning debris before
they could be rescued Hewitt was caught
Just on the outer edge of the wall, and with
not little exertlon freed himself. But
Stark was completely hidden beneath the
burning timbers, when ne was SUI
fering the severest OF all fortunes, tnat
of being burned alive. The crowd fairly
went mad, but finally he was gotten out
At first it was thought he was dead, but
when he was carried to the fresh air he re-
yivived and was placed in a carriage and
taken to the fire hall, where DR.. Powers
dressed his wounds. His hip was badly
mashed and the flesh of his left hand was
fairly burned off in places. After he had
been properly cared for he was taken to the
city hospital. where he complained OF his
legs hurting him very badly. 1t is believed
he has recovered serious internal injuries,
as he spit up considerable blood last even
ing.
Hewitt was also taken to the hopital with
his shoulder dislocated and his nose broken,
but with no further painful injuries.
The ice houses of the railroad were com
pletely ruined. They were constructed
with three walls securely packed with saw
dust About one half of the building was
constructed last winter and was very
nearly filled with ice, which will be prac-
tically a total loss. 1t is estimated the loss
to the Union Pacific will be fully 10000.
The fire could not have originated IN a
more unfortunate time for the railroad
company. being in the hottest time in the
wear when ice is most needed.
The fire is thought TO have originated
rom sparks from locomotive. q