New-York tribune., 1902-12-26
KILLED FIGHTING FIRE.
RIG BL4ZE ZEL4T4RBCCkLES
Three Eremen, Mcladinga a Battalion
Chief Die. and Three Injured.

At a. fire in the cooperage works of Arbuckie
Brothers. in Plymouth-st., Brooklyn. about L
o'clock this morning. three fremen were killed
and three persons were injured.
THE DEAD
CoPPENGER chief OF I'D Battalion.
JEFFERTs. assistant foreman OF water tower
OTOOLE. Michael thirty years old. Of Truck No. "5
THE INJURED.
MCooNEY. Of Nostrand ave. spectator
MCCARTHY, Thomas. of Truck No 6s: taken to the
Homeopathic Hospital
ISENBERG. Charles
The cooperage works were IN four story
brick building 100 by 100 feet. On one side was
the E. W. Bliss foundry, and on the other side
was the Armstrong cork works.
Plymouth-st is narrow, and the water tower
was run in there for operation. This subjected
the fremen TO extreme heat They prob
ably within ten feet of the flames. About 1:2o
O'Clock the walls fell, and three plen. who a..se
working on the tower were buried beneath the
debris
O'Toole was killed outright. his body being
crushed He was taken into a nearby saloon
and his brother. James. also a fireman. CON
nected with one of the engines at the fire. was
called to the saloon. When he saw his brothers
body, he fell in faint Only last week their
sister had died.
| Father Langan, of the Church of the Assump
tion was there Fire Chaplain McGronan ad-
ministered the last rites OF the Catholic Church
t Thomas Mccarthy. He was suffering from
internal injuries and was not expected to live
Battalion Chief Coppenger was caught in the
walls and his skull was fractured. He was
taken to the Cumberland-st. hospital, but died
on the way.
Isenberg was buried beneath the trucks but
| was not badly injured being protected by the
| tower When delivered from his precarious
| position he thanked God earnestly for his de
| Iiverance. Later it learned that ten other
| fremen had been buried beneath the falling
| walls. but almost mracuously had received no
| more serious injuries than few cuts and
| bruises. The helmets of several of the fremen
| were dented by falling brick
The cooperage is total wreck The Bliss
| foundry is badly damaged. and the cork works
are totally destroyed The loss is estimated at
| $4,000.
lust before the wall fell, two pieces of ap-
| paratus a hook and ladder and a hose wagon.
| manned by three men, were dragged out pack-
/ ward by means of ropes. Had they remained
| there a few moments longer the loss of life
would undoubtedly have been much greater.
II is said that a Mr.. McCooley, ofNostrand-
| ave BROOKLYN a spectator, hurt. There
! was much comment ABOUT the scene ol the lile
| on the apparent negligence in leaving the water
| tower in Plymouth-st for so long time, Tor
| the walls had threatened to fall for about half
| an hour before they actually dld II was salu
| that Deputy Chief Murray was on duty III All
| other street and did not have the directing OF
| the tower men 1t is supposed that Chief Cop
| penger was in command of the work OF the
| tower. ~
| The body of Assistant Foreman Jenerts' OF the the
| water tower found under the ruins ABOUT
| half an hour after the other BODY was taken
! out. cute d..
roy haster ed from Manhattan apparatus Is; Mee' S
| aISo cent from this borough across the bridge.
| THE fire was under control about 40 a. m. Inc
! flames were high and brilliant, and neng ne near
| Tho waterfront lighted up the East River: !hey
| We're easily seen all over Brooklyn, and from
| MANY points in Manhattan.