Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-05
SEVEN F|R[NEN DEAD
Collapse Of Building During Fire
lat St. Louis Results in
Disaster.
Seven Firemen Caught by the
Falling Walls and Crushed
to Death.
Five Bodies Have Been Taken
From the Ruins..The Gen.
eral News.

stated this morning by the fire DEPART
lment that only six men lost their iiNes
IN last nights fire. Three bodies We're
recovered The dead:
Michael Kehoe, assistant foreman.
William Dundon. pipeman.
Franklin Mcbride, truckman.
Charles krenning. pipeman.
The number of injured is seven, none
seriously hurt. For some time Patrick
d. Bergen, pipeman. was supposed 10
be among the missing, but later ne
turned up safely, having been away
from his company
The fire broke out in the upper floors
of the five-story building at 3l4 Chest
Iut street. A general alarm was sent
in and the department hurried to the
scene. as the district is considered
dangerous one, being just opposite the
Merchants Exchange.
The flames seemed to be pretty we'll
under control when suddenly the entire
building collapsed, crumbling away
AOSh'
and walls fell inward. carrying down
with them the fire fighters who were on
the different floors.
Pat Mccarthy, of No. 6. and F. p.
Burns, driver for Assistant Chief
Thiery, were rescued and taken to the
dispensary. They were badly cut and
bruised, but 1t is not believed that their
injuries will prove fatal.
The building was one of the Oldest
business houses in the city. having been
occupied by the Mclean Medical Com
pany twenty years ago, but of late has
been occupied by the American Tent
and Awning Company.
Two years ago it was badly damaged
by fire which broke out in the fifth
story, but was repaired. and the COM
pany still occupied IT. The monetary
loss will not exceed 100000.
This afternoon Chief Swingley stated
that after a careful recount ne finds
another man, William Westenhoff.
missing. making seven in all. AT l
o'clock the fifth body. that of Charles
Kreening. was recovered and taken
fom the ruins.
Last night was the coldest recorded
was discovered in the top floor of the
building. Several fire companies re-
sponded to the alarm, and soon had the
flames practically under control. Sud-
denly, without warning, the front wall
fell forward and the entire building coll
lapsed The spectators, policemen and
firemen on the street saw the wall tot
ter and escaped injury, but the firemen
in the building We're buried beneath the
ruins. Chief Swingley, who was stand
ing before the building, had a narrow
escape from instant death. He jumped
beneath the fire truck, which an in
stant later was covered with debris.
The building was fifty years old. and
the great strain of water on the upper
floors loosened the joists and caused it's
total collapse. The firemen and volun-
teers Immediately sprang to the rescue
os the imprisoned firemen and several
We're taken out within few minutes.
placed in ambulances and hurried away
for medical assistance. From under the
pile of debris came groans and cries OF
distress. The firemen frantically tore
away the burning timbers, the smoke
and heat almost overcoming them in
their heroic endeavors to reach their
imprisoned comrades, whose cries We're
gradually growing less audible. Final
ly they ceased, and altho the firemen
continued their search as rapidly as
possible 1t was not until 2:30 that the
first body, that of William Dundon, was
recovered. He was barely alive and
died on his way to the hospital. Two
hours later the bodies of Daniel w.
Steele and Michael Kehoe We're taken
out. AT 10 o'clock this morning three
missing bodies We're still in the ruins.
When the building fell all the electric
circuits in the vicinity broke and dark
ness handicapped the rescuers in their
work. 1t was only after a roll call that
X was known how many firemen were
missing. Early today Mayor Wells ap-
pearel upon the scene and set every
laborer procurable at work removing
the aebris in the search for the missing
firemen.