The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1902-02-11
DISASTROUS FIRE.
Reads Steam Laundry Partly Destroyed Last
Thursday Evening.

thursday EVENING,
The steam laundry building of r. ID.
Read, at the corner of A and First
streets, was partly destroyed by fire last
Thursday evening, with losses that will
foot up about $1,000. The fire was the
result of the explosion of gasoline
tank, which is used in the ironing de-
partment on the second floor, and before
the flames could be checked the whole
top of the building was Quilted.
The alarm was given Immediately and
it was but a few minutes before the new
chemical engine, hose and hook and
ladders were on the scene. Some delay
was caused by the machinery being new
and no practice had yet been had in
testing it. The chemical held the flames
in check till the hose attached to the
main plugs could be turned On. 1t was
a hard fire to fight and taxed the in
genuity of the firemen to keep it down.
The explosion threw the gasoline all
over the room and the fire spread with
great rapidity. 1t got into the ventil
ator and up in the garnet and burned
with such tenacity that before it was
curbed almost the whole top of the
building was burned off and part of it
fell in.
The explosion took place a few min
utes before o'clock, at a time when the
employees were about to prepare to quit
work for the day. The excitement fol-
lowing the report, made by the bursting
tank, caused one of the women to faint,
but she soon rallied from this and was
assisted out. Some of them climbed out
the front windows on to the porch roof,
owing to the stairway being blocked by
excessive smoke and flames. The
women were assisted to the ground, but
none of them were injured The real
cause of the explosion is not known.
George Glasier, who had charge of the
polishing machines turned the shut off
valve in the pipe that leads from the
tank to the machine and just as he did
so the explosion followed. Somehow he
escaped with but slight burns on the
hands and face.
AS soon as the situation was appre-
hended, employees about the place and
others began to carry out the goods that
had been finished and was in the front
part of the building on the first floor.
This was all saved, together with con-
siderable of the washing" that was
either in the machines or in preparation
for them. The drying room upstairs re-
manned intact and the goods in it were
saved. The machinery on the second
floor was badly soaked with water, but
the damage otherwise done is slight.
Owing to the big business done by
Mr. Read the property of hundreds of
customers was in the building at the
time of the fire and many became
anxious about their personal effects.
Very little Of it has been damaged. On
Friday morning the machinery in the
washing department was put in order
and the machines started to put that in
shape which had escaped the ravages of
the flames, but had been damaged by
water and cinders.
The insurance on the building and
contents will amount to $500. Mr..
Read will commence at once to repair
the building and put it in shape to re-
sumo business as soon as possible.
Mr.. Read has opened temporary Of
flee in the small frame building at Ill
North Second street half way down the
block his laundry is situated in. He
has been busy since the fire checking
up the goods that were saved and de-
livering them to customers.