The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-05
FIREMEN KILLED
Fifth Floor of Building Sinks
Beneath Three
While They Are Fighting Fire
From Within.
RESCUERS ARE CAUGHT
Walls Collapse on Others Who
Strive to Help Them.
Many Narrowly Escape Death
by Running Away.

st. Louis, Feb. 5.-Fire last night de-
stroyed the building at 312 and 314
Chestnut street, occupied by the Ameri-
can Tent and Awning company and re-
suited in the death of six firemen who
We're crushed by the falling walls and
floors. Three of the bodies have been
recovered and the fremen are digging
at the immense heaps of ruins in order
to reach the others. A number of fire.
men, among them Chief Swingley, were
injured by flying debris but none SER
iously. The total financial loss on build
and contents is today estimated by
Chief Swingley at $4,000. 1t is believed
this is fully covered by insurance.
The fire broke out last night, the cold
est of the season, about 8 o'clock. Sew
eral fire companies responded to the
alarm and soon had the flames partially
under control An hour after the fire
started. timbers and inf1ammable ma
terial on the upper floors continued to
burn and line was run up to extinguish
the flames. Three pipemen were op-
Grating this stream when the floor on
which they stood gave way without
warning and they fell with it.
Assistant Chief Thierry, who was on a
lower floor heard the crash. Gathering
together a few men, he went in to the
rescue of his comrades. Hardly had the
rescuers disappeared into the structure
when the front wall fell forward, and the
entire building collapsed, burying be-
meath its ruins every one inside. Spec
tators, police officers and firemen on
Chestnut street saw the wall totter and
managed to escape on either side before
it fell.
Firemen in the alley back of the
building fled when the ripping sound of
crumbling walls was heard and for the
most part escaped without injury.
Chief Swingley says that the success
civ coll Of
without warning, and at a time when
the fire seemed to have been placed un-
der control
ITO all appearances" said the chief.
there was no danger to the pipemen
who went into the upper floors.
The fire was all on the fourth and
fifth floors and more on the fifth than
on the fourth. Under such circumstan-
ces no one would expect a building to
collapse.
with Dan Steele, foreman of No IL,
were Charles Krenning, of IL and Mike
Kehoe of Is.
building heard a crash at the rear, but
did not know exactly what had hap
pened until Krenning came running out.
"Krenning ran into Assistant Chief
Thierry. He said: Chief, the floor fell
and two men on the pipe are covered
up
"'Give me some men, said Thierry to
me, and I'll go back and get 'em out
four men came up Thierry started to
lead the way.
''Krenning followed right behind
Thierry. Then came Frank Mcbride
and Dundon.
Wand and JueIich went last. Two
minutes later came the crash. L never
saw a catastrophe without warning. 1
was knocked down by the debris and
fell under the water tower. When I got
up, half stunned, the building was in
ruins, and the only thing that could be
done was to put the men at work dig
ging to get out those who were inside"
According to Chief Swigley one of
the most slxillful battles against flames
in the departments history had been
fought
A confegration that half an hour be-
fore had threatened whole block at
least, and might easily have extended
farther, had been restrained.
The building, which was nearly fifty
years old, was weak, and the water
with which it had been flooded loosened
its joists and soaked its walls. When
the pipe men entered the walls were
already tottering, but there was moth
ing to warn them of their peril. When
the building collapsed the debris filed
the alley and fell clear across Chestnut
street. VIM. O'Donnell, John Purcell
and VIM O'Connell, of Salvage corps
No. l. .oe1 We're covering ma material e
when the wall started to fall. They were
carried outward with it and landed
safely IN the street.
VIM. Wann, foreman of engine COM
0any No. 13. was on the second floor
when the collapse came. Falling plas-
.er warned him of it and he slipped
lown the banister to the first floor and
an into the street.
Patrick F. Mccarthy and VIM. Jeulich,
who were about to enter the building to
assist in the rescue of their comrades,
we're struck by falling debris and Sc
yerely injured.
When the building fell all the light
circuits in the neighborhood were cut
md darkness was added to the horror
If the scene The debris had smothered
what little fire remained in the build-
ng just before the collapse.
Chief SwingIey ordered his men from
heir pipes and engines and put them
% work digging in the debris for the
men who had been caught.
How many were in the ruins was not |
Known. Fifteen persons were thought |
% be in the building when it collapsed.
Only a roll call could tell how many |
lad escaped. Darkness handicapped the |
'escuers in their work for all the cleo
ric wires were cut. The groans of thgir |
in the debris were their guides |
Calcium lights were brought the |
scene and by their glare, the work pro- |
,eeded. The spectators attempted to |
DIN in the rescue work, but were pre- |
rented by the police, who said that they |
would only hamper the firemen.
Delegate Otto Karbe telepnoned to /
Mayor Wells at IL o'clock, asking that |
be given Chief Swing1ey to |
Employ men to aid in the rescue syste- |
This was given. The police |
made the rounds of the lodging houses |
n the neighborhood offering all men |
work. who desired it and many accepted. |
1t a late hour, a force of negro roust- I
bouts was procured from the levee. |
they worked effectively on the ruins
nd made good progress in the rescue.
Wives, children and other relatives of /
he men buried in the ruins gathered