The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-06-13
Large Number Escaped BY Jumping Into tAs
Nets Held By FIrsmeh
men CUT OFF ON UPPER STORIES.
Thg Were Hanging From ihs Window sI|Is and
Two Score Of Them Dropped Before Fksmsa
Could Raise Ladders 10 Save Them.

New York, June 1.-Two men dead,
pne other fats ly injured and a dozen
more badly hurt is the result Of a fire
day afternoon at the Widemann Coop
erage. Brooklyn. The building was
burned out. il was a four STORY brick
structure. where a hundred men were
employed at the time of the fire. The
dead are August Benedict, burned over
MS entire body, with compound frac-
ture OF the left leg, and a man too
badly burned TO be identified
The fire broke out on the third foor
of the building, and when the engines
arrived the building was enveloped In
flames: Owing 10 the rapid spread OF
the flames the escape OF many OF the
employees in the building seemed for
time to be cut off. The fremen on the
roof OF one-story extension spread a
net. into which many Of the employees
leaped and escaped serious injury. The
heat, however, soon became too intense
and the firemen had to abandon their
posts. Other men jumped from the
second story windows,in most instances
receiving injuries.
Men who had been cut off ON the up-
per floors were hanging from window
edges when the firemen arrived. At
least two score dropped befort
could be raised. Benedict. who was
hanging out OF fourth-story window.
with all his clothing afiame.
until his rescuers came. He was horri-
bly, burned and died half an hour after
ward.
At S:45 o'clock the fire was still burn
ing fercely. A badly burned body was
found IN the ruins.
As soon as the police and fremen
arrived hurry calls were sent to
the Eastern District, st. GATHERINGS
and st. Mary's Hospitals TO gather in
the injured. Men manned and stunned
or with bones broken were lying about
on the sidewalk when the surgeons ar
rived.
When the wall fell there was thrown
out into the roadway the body OF a
man so terribly burned that II could not
be identified.
James Haslet climbed up the ire es-
cape to the first story, where several
OF the employees were hanging out OF
the upper windows. apparently panic
stricken and screaming for help. He
rescued two men. and when he reached
the ground an old man with clothes
ablaZe jumped out or the frst story
and landed on Haslet cutting his head
and face. The firemen rescued several
men whose clothes were on fire on the
second and third floors. The damage
by fire and water was estimated by the
police at $4,000.
A later dispatch says the fire Is known
10 have caused the death OF four men.
Joseph Rodgerson, fireman, who was
crushed by falling wall. died subse-
quently at hospital Four men were
ri II missing this morning and some of
them are probably buried in the ruins
The unidentified man who was killed
was on the roof clinEing TO the cornice
when the building collapsed and was
thrown outward i'm the erect amid the
mass OF flying brick and timber. He
was fearfully mangied and his right leg
was wrenched OFF by the terrific fall
The police do not believe that IL will
be possible for his family or friends
10 identify the body. The efforts of the
fire boats were centered upon an immc-
diate gas tank Of the williamsburg Gas
Company. The heat OF the fire was ter
rife and II was feared that II might
cause the gas in the big. tank TO ex-
plode. The tank was within four feet
of the top OF the frame but the gas
was drawn on and pumped into another
tank a block away. The fire boat pump
ed water on the tank TO keep II cool.
Had IL expodsd that part OF BROOKLYN
would have beein wrecked as two other
big tanks OF gas nearby would have
goine up.as well as a square block Of oil
tanks, owned by the Standard OH COM
pany. residents were panic stricken at
the possibility or an explosion, and
mainy fled to distant poles.