Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-11
BADLY DAMAGED BY FIRE
Flames Break Out in the Dwelling of
E. A. Fenton.
Supposed to Have Been Caused by
Spontaneous COmbustiOn-Buildi
Insured; Furniture Uninsured.

A fire broke out at 2O24 street north
west about 9:4J o'clock today, and before
the flames could be subdued the house was
badly damaged. 1t is believed the fire was
caused by spontaneous combustion. The
property was owned by DR.. G. V. Ham,
mond and was occupied by Mr.. E. A. Fenton,
a clerk in the records and pension division
of the War Department, his wife, two
daughters and son. There was no insur-
ance whatever on the furniture, and the
amount of insurance on the house could
not be ascertaiDed as DR.. Hammond is
absent in Baltimore. Mrs Hammond
stated to Star reporter, however, that
she was satisfied the insurance on the prop
erty was more than sufficient to cover the
damage caused by the fire.
There was no one in the house at the
time tie blaze started MIR. Fenton had
gone to work before o'clock his children
went to school about $50 o'clock, and Mrs.
Fenton had an appointment with the dent
list and left the house shortly after o
O'Clock. a little later a gang of men at
work upon building in course of erection
on the lot just back of 2026 street saw
smoke coming out of the windows and
doors of the house. A number of them
hastily left their work, and, breaking open
the back gate which leads to an alley
forced an entrance into the house by
back window and succeeded in keeping the
flames from several of the rooms.
Alarm Sent In.
In the meantime Policemen Fugitt ana
Wil9s, who had also been attracted to the
scene, had broken open the front door
In order that anyone who might be in the
house could escape. Policeman Fusitt then
ran to the box to turn in the alarm. but
found that colored man had already per-
formed that duty. While all this was 90
ing on Dr. Glazebrook. who lives at 2O22
street mad telephoned for the engines
and his summons for and arrived at head
quarters at about the same time the regu-
lar alarm was turned in. The fire depa rt-
ment responded promptly, and in spite of
lhe iact mat the fire was hot one and
was In an exceedingly difficult place to
nght managed to get the fire under control
within a few minutes
Origin of the Blaze.
From all appearances the fire originated
III a small closet under the front stairs
Inc wall of this closet is formed by the
chimney OF the next house, a latrobe being
located just about its center. Mrs. Fenton
mad been in the habit of putting waste pa
per and books and other infiammabIe ma
terlal In this closet. in which was also kept
Some Ola paint and the oil for the lamps
Mrs. Fenton says she has often remarked
in the past upon the heat that was always
noticeable in the closet, and she is Of the
opinion that the heat from the latrobe in
the adjoining house induced spontaneous
combustion. in :hich the oil and paint
prayed prominent part.
The halls of the house are badly dam
aged, the entire stairway from the first
TO the second floor having been burned
away. The front and back rooms on The,
second floor, with their contents, escaped
INJURY. due to the fact that Mrs Fenton
had closed all the doors to the rooms on
mat Moor before going out The pantry
and kitchen are damaged somewhat. as i
a-so the room occupied by Mr.. Fenton on
the second floor, and in which We're val
uioie papers and clothing. Mrs. Fenton
was unable TO state the amount of dam
age to her goods but it is not thought that
the inquire will foot up very high. the prin-
cipal damage being confined to the hall
from the pantry to the third floor
Inc hre under good Roadway was as
stated, a difficult one for the fire depart
ment TO best. The flames We're so hot tina.
when Policemen Fugitt and Willis broke
open the front door their whiskers and hair
suffered materially. The halls were mar
Tow and dark. and they we'll made an eX-
ctilent hue for the flames to follow on
their journey upward.