The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-07
THEY FELL FIGHTING FIRE.
FIFTEEN FIREMEN BURIED UNDER
FAILING WALLS.


Eleven Are Killed Outright ana
Others VIII Die--They Were Fight
ing the Flames That Threatened
TO Sweep "A Michigan Town-The
Falling of other Walls Prevented
Rescue and Bystandcrs watched
the Victims Roast Under Red Hot
Bricks.
Benton Harbor Mich, Sept. 6.--Yore's
opera house and adjoining buildings were
burned early this morning, causing the
death of eleven firemen and injury to a
number of others, and entailing loss OF
about $650OO.
The killed are: Frank Watson, married.
St. Joseph; Edward II. Gange, married,
St. Joseph; Arthur c. Hill, married, ST.
Joseph; Frank Seaver, married, ST. Jo-
seph; Robert Rolfe. single, st. Joseph;
John Hoffman, married, Benton Harbor;
Thomas Kidd, single, Benton Harbor;
Frank Woodley married., Benton Harbor;
Win Matten. married, Benton Harbor;
Scott Rice, single, Benton Harbor; Louis
Hoffman, single Benton Harbor.
The seriously injured are: Ex-Chief
John A. Crawford, Benton Harbor. burned
and overcome by heat and smoke; Frank
Paget, st. Joseph, legs mashed by falling
brick; VIII Freund, st, Joseph, cut about
the head and burned Jack Mccormick,
Benton Harbor, legs broken and internal
ly injured. Several others were injured
by falling walls, but will recover.
Shortly after midnight Yores opera
house, large four-story brick structure,
was discovered to be on fire. 1t had gain
ed so much headway before the alarm was
given, and when the city fire department
arrived the building was mass of flames.
The st. Joseph department was sent for
and arrived soon after The fire contin-
ued to gain, and was spreading to other
buildings, when the hook and ladder COM
panies went to the rear of the building,
hoping to be able to direct stream into
the mass Of flames from a second story
window Hardly had they arrived there,
when the wall, with a mighty crash, came
down upon them burying fifteen men un-
der red hot bricks. Other portions of the
wall were wavering and the rescue of the
imprisoned firemen was deferred some
time, as ii was expected every moment
the remainder of the wall would fall. Fin
ally some or the croWd ruHned INTO the
mass to rescue the shrieking and strug-
Cling men.
Frank Watson of ST. Joseph was the
first man rescued, but he was dead and
his body was a mass of broken bones and
mangied flesh. The search continued un-
til o'clock, when the last victim, Arthur
Hill, was removed. They were carried to
offices and private houses, where doctors
from both cities were in waiting to render
aid. Some of them died en- route and
others while being cared for
The dead were taken to the city hall,
which was turned into a temporary
morgue. Some of the men we're so badly
mangled that identity was only had by
letters and papers in their pockets.
After the falling of the rear wall, the
roof and other walls soon collapsed, one
of the side walls falling upon two-story
brick building owned by William Frick,
completely demolishing II and its contents.
The fire had not been confined alone to
the opera house, but had crept across the
alley, and soon the rear OF the two-story
building was aflame The fire. however,
was gotten under control before II reach
ed the main part of the buildings.
TIE loss, as far as can be ascertained,
IS: Patrick Yore, opera house block, $40,
600; insurance, $4,000.