Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-16
CAUGHT IN DEATHTRAP
Three Firemen Crushed to
Death at Cleveland.
EARLY MORNING BLAZE
BRUISED AND BLEEDING BODIES
BENEATH WALLS.
Brave Men Weep Over Mangled Forms
of Comrades-Several
Injured.
EARLY MORNING BLAZE

CLEVELAND November 16-Three fire.
mon were killed and two injured early today
as the result of the most disastrous fire this
city has suffered in months. The dead:
Robert Duffy truck No. 2.
James Schweda. truck No. z.
Robert Reed truck No. z.
The injured:
Michael Corrigan, truck No. 1, legs bro
ken.
Harry Vandevelde truck No. 2 suffering
from shock; in hospital; outcome uneF-
tain.
Battalion Chief Andrews, slightly injured
about body.
Duffy and Schweda were killed almost III
stantly. having been caught under raining
wall Reed died an hour or two later IN
the hospital.
Fire Was in Street Car Barn.
The fire was in the large street car parh
of the Cleveland Electric Railway Company
on Homden avenue and Pearl Street A.
broke out about 3 o'clock from, as YET an
undetermined cause. The employees OF the
street car company believe, however, that
it was of incendary origin. ..o.oa
y,,here were one hundred motors storeo
within the building, which covered an "a, asea
of four acres and the flames spread IKE
yhirlvind necessitating the calling out ol
All available tire-fighting apparatus III the
city. ,b,,, GO oOn
The motors are valued at prooaply s-oot ~ ~
each The loss on the building is placed at
O00 The fatalities were caused by
wall falling suddenly upon Duify, Sch"edd'
Reed, Corrigan and VandeVeide.
Six Bruised and Bleeding Bodies.
At o'clock one hundred frantic fremen
had succeeded in uncovering six bruised
and bleeding forms from beneath the Walls.
Fireman Schweda of truck No. was dead
when found. Harry Nendevelde mad both
legs broken and was internally bruised
Robert Reed was taken unconscious from
the ruins .- ,..x
The scene at the fire was heartrending.
Rig brave fremen worked desperately IN
removing the smoking, steaming prlchs
from their comrades. The hremen We're
constantly driven back from the runs vi
the fallen wall by the smoke ana hre;
A half dozen streams We're directed INTO
tho debris in a desperate effort to cool II
Sufficiently so that the work of rescue couid
90 on The fremen held in check in the
meantime were frantic to resume thelF
work.
Wrung Their Hands and Cried.
They stood wringing their hands and cry
gas if their hearts would break. In sheer
desneration q number rushed through the
binding smoke and flames. Michael Corrl-
pap of truck No. / was seen at the euSe ol
the brick wall. his legs pinioned beneath a
mass of bricks. He was pleadlns WITH his
comrades to rescue hlrn
A dash was made through the smoke ana
fire and Corrigan was seized by haii uoI-
on hands and dragged to a place or sa1etv.
If was found that both of his legs were
broken. Moaning piteously, he was placeu
in an ambulance and taken to hospital.
Worked Heroically.
The firemen worked heroically In the
scalding, steaming bricks and the bruised
and bleeding form of Robert Duffy was next
brought out Duffy was dead and his body
was taken away
A moment later the lifeless body OF FRANK
Schweda was taken from the steaminS
ruins. The father and wife of Schweda were
killed less than month ago in street car
accidents. ,
Another charge was made upon the smok-
ing ruins. and after ten minutes work Rob-
ert Reed and Harry VandeVelde, 1rlSht1ully
bruised and burned. were taken unconscious
hospital
Still Searching Ruins.
Battalion Chief Andrews who was stand
ing little back of his men. was struck by
large pieces of stone and injured about the
legs. He was taken home in his own car
riage.
1t is believed there have been no more
fatalities although firemen are still search.
ing the ruins.