Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-03-02
THE BUOU FIRE.
How 1t Emphasized the Need of
Better Ladder Service.
At Least Two Truck Companies Of Per
manent and Well Drilled Men Needed
in the Centre of the City.

To the Editor Of the Spy:
In your issue Of Feb. goth, grave criti-
cism was made upon the work of the
fire department at the Bijou fire, espe-
cially as to delay in rescuing Mrs Off
ner. From a careful reading of that
article, the public would be made to be-
lieve that fifteen minutes elapsed be-
tween the first blow of the alarm and
the time Mrs. Offner was safe on the
ground, and that the truck from head
quarters was slow in reaching the fire.
Without denying that there may have
been just cause for criticism, l wish to
correct if possible the unjust impression
your article gives to the public. 1 do
not mean to imply that your columns
have Intentionally misrepresented the
department, and l am sure you are
ready to do them full justice.
Without going into the detail of a
mass of corroborative testimony, the
writer has reason to believe that not
over eight minutes elapsed between the
first blow Of the alarm and the time
Mrs. Offner was on the ground. That
the truck from headquarters was on
the scene in less than two minutes, and
that within four minutes from the time
truck turned the corner of Main into
Front street, a ladder had been taken
from the truck, was raised and Mrs. OFF,
ner was on her way down.
You very fairly state that both wires
and outsiders interfered greatly with
the work of the laddermen, and consid-
ering the fact that there We're so wires
in front of the building and not over
eight feet from 1.-THE lowest being IL
feet from the ground-and that Is wires
ran direct from the pole in front to diff
ferent parts of this and the adjoining
buildings, so thick together that one
ladder had to be lowered three times
to avoid them, make it apparent that
the best ladder service would have been
slow in this case.
furthermore, in the night, in the
midst of fire and smoke a small tele-
phone Wire 20 feet from the ground is
not easily seen. Fortunately no lives
We're lost, and without a horror. two
lessons have been taught US that need
immediate attention. One has already
peen referred to in the mayors inaugu-
raj namely, the need of putting the
wires underground. There are build
ings filled with people day and night.
so covered by wires in the street that
the most expert and trained laddermen
would be utterly helpless for a long
time. Not until 20 or more wires had
been cut on the poles, would it be possi-
pie TO reach the upper windows with a
laddef When part Of these wires are
electric light, charged with a heavy
current, the task of cutting them is not
so easy or safe, and the falling wires
are deadly menace to those below
Some day, unless they are nut under
sround, we will have fire under the
ABOVE conditions, and I promise YOU
now that the ladder work will be very
SLOW and that many lives may be sacri-
feed ~
Ihe second lesson is this: We need at
least Two companies of permanent lad
uef-men in the centre of the CITY. AT
present there are four permanent and
elghs calimen on each of three of the
trucks, and five permanent and seven
call on one. OF the permanent men of
edeh truck one is a driver. During the
day these callmen are at their worl,
ana must usually get to a fire independ-
ent OF the truck; hence, some time later
Al night three callmen sleep in quarters.
Whlch improves the service somewhat
out does not man the apparatus as it
should be. When ladders are wanted To
save hte' they are wanted quickly, and
men enough should arrive with the
truck to man it. Furthermore. men
VINO nave run to fire and out of
breath are not in good condition to do
heavy ladder work. Your chief has re-
peatedly urged the appointment of more
permanent men for ladder service. but
on grounds of economy, no more than
one TO company have been added
Again, it is impracticable to have the
necessary drilling with so many call
men, The permanent laddermen can be
thoroughly drilled and should be eff
cient in pompier ladder service. Me-
Offner could have been rescued in one
half the time by an expert pompier
man. And many times they are able to
reach places wholly inaccessible to ord
mary ladders.
We have manufacturing establish
ments crowded with women; we have
halls that are often crowded with peo-
pie; we have hotels in veritable fire.
traps Of buildings that are often full Of
guests, and in any one Of these at any
time your fire department may be called
upon to take out from one to hundred
people. They ought to be prepared for
the emergency. In closing, I want to
say that this has been written on my
own responsibility and entirely without
request from any member of the fire
department. Three years of earnest
work on the fire committee to increase
the practical efficiency of the depart
ment, gave me an interest in their work
that has not diminished in the last four
years of private life. To give the de-
partment the credit that is due to its
work, and to sound note of warming
in the hope of securing greater efficien-
cy, has been my sole excuse for asking
your valuable space.
Irving E. Comins