The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-19
hot SUBS SCALDS FlREMEN.
THREE GO TO HOSPITAL FROM
SOAP WAREHOUSE FIRE.
A Probationary Fireman Begs to Go Back
to Show He's Not Qultter, ana q
Regular Tries to Quit Hospital for
rre-Chief CruEe Neck Burned.

Frre-('hief Cruger' Neck Burned.
A fire that started shortly after 10 o'clock
last night in fvu-story building at Worth
street gave the fremen who responded on
two alarms hard fight. Three were taken
10 the Hudson street hospital unconscious,
badly scalded and somewhat burned
Others were resuscitated at the hospital.
which is only $50 feet from the burned
building, and allowed to go back to the fire.
The building where the fire occurred is
occupied on the first and fifth floors by
Proctor 4 Gamble as a soap warehouse.
The three other floors are occupied by
volkmann L Stollwerck. manufacturers Of
candy and penny-in-thc-slot machines.
Henry Voege, a saloonkeeper on West
Broadway. first saw the flames coming
from the third floor rear. He ran to tie
Leonard street police station and told
Roundsman Higgins. who turned in an
alarm.
Engine Company ~, just around the
corner on Franklin street, was the first
70 respond. Capt. Doonan and six men
broke open the front door Of the building
and dragged line Of hose to the floor where
the fire was. When they broke through a
partition there they were caught by back
draught that knocked them off their feet and
tumbled several down stairs.
The water had been ordered turned on,
and the hose, which the men had been
forced to abandon, was wrggling fierce!y.
Firemen William O'keefe and Marion Fer
euson crawied through the smoke and
pulled out the line OF hose. They were al
most overcome and had to be led to the
street by their comrades. Alter they
had recovered they went back into the build
ing only to be dragged out the second time,
half conscious Then they were taken to
the hospital.
Ferguson was found to be in such bad
shape that the doc tors sent him to ward.
He begged to be allowed to return o the fire,
explaining to the doctors that he was only
probationary fireman and didn't want the
others to think him gutter. O'keefe
came to in short order and was allowed to
return to the fire.
Meanwhile the other firemen were having
their troubles The lines Of hose In being
dragged along the first floor became COW
cred with soap dust from the boxes stored
there. AZ soon as the water was turned
on they became covered with thick lathor,
and 1t was all half dozen men could do
70 hold single line.
The same was true OF the lines on the upper
Aoors, where also large quantity Of soap
was stored. Men from the patrol corps
rs well az the firemen were led TO the street
one after another to be bathed about the
face and head with water.
The heat was so intense that the water
that was poured in became boiling hot.
and as it mixed with the powdered soap
: :a . si ,h ssa' ss j. on is q
=, sfis hot suds.
the back Of his neck By the hot water.
Firemen Sullivan. Kuss, Crennen and
0hay were led to the street at different
times to he revived. Thomas GAVIN Of
Engine company 81 was struck by fallirg
hospital with cut over the right eye and
. scalp wound. After being bandaged
he went to the engine eI house. o. Engine
company o slipped down the lathed stEirs
and badly hurt his left foot. He was taken
Fred Bellosa OF Engine Company Al was
taken to the hospital, scalded ana over
come. He returned to the fire after recover
The next man to he carried out uncon-
scious was O'Keefe. who had already been
to the hospital and had been led t. the street
twice This time he had been down in the
cellar and his lantern went out. He CROPPED
his way to the stairway, where ne collapsed.
He was taken out by another fireman:
who stumbled over him. He was carried
to the hospital and laid out on a cot in the
emergency room, where Drs. Rhea, Rice,
higgins and Warner. together with Miss
Clifford. were working over the others that
had been carried in. While the doctors
Wi re giving him restoratives Foreman
Walter Peck Of Patrol was carried into
the room unconscious.
As the doctors turned to assist in putting
him on cot, O'Keefe slipped out OF the
door He was reca blurred and sent to q
ward.
II was near midnight before the fire was
under control Directly in the rear OF the
soap warehouse is the big warehouse
OF II. B. Claf1in & Co. A large force with
lines Of hose was sent through that build
Ing and played streams on the rear.
Acting Chief P,lrroy said the damage
Ia tie soap factory WIS about $4,000.