The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-05-18
FlREMEN PERlSH.IN BLAZE
Two Killed and. Many Injured at
Newark.
While Working on Shed Explosion
Wrecks Structure and They Arc
Buried Beneath Walls.

Newark, n. J.-Crushed beneath the
brick and timbers Of walls that crashed
upon them far above as they were
fighting fire from the roof of a one
story shed, two 6remen were killed
and seventeen of their comrades were
injured, two of them so severely there
is no hope they will live. The victims
occupied what they believed to be a
point of vantage and safety, but they
were caught beneath a mass OF iron
girders, beams and tons Of brick with
such suddenness that not one escaped
unscathed. The killed are:
Fireman Jacob Bleyhle, Truck. Com.
pany No. 8; fracture at base of the
skull; died in the ambulance on the
way to hospital; Fireman William B.
Crane. Engine Company No. 3: frac.
ture at base Of skull, body crushed;
died in hospital.
The seriously injured are: Lieuten-
ant Patrick J. Donahue. Engine Com
pany No. Z; several broken ribs, left
hand badly crushed; general contu-
sions; Fireman Leo Ross, Truck Com
pany No. 8; fracture at base of the
skull; expected to die; Fireman Rich
ard J. Lyons, Engine Company No. Z;
fracture at base Of skull; expected to
die.
The fire was in the six-story building
ut No. 81 Mechanic street, occupied by
Wiener & Co., saddlery hardware man.
ufacturerS. The origin Of the fire is a
mystery.
In order to direct the streams Of
water with greater effectiveness Chief
Engineer Kirkstead sent squad Of
men to the rear of the burning build
ing. Twenty fremen mounted to the
roof of the Empire Gear and Top Com.
pany's building. one-story structure
adjoining the Weiner building. Three
lines of hose were brought up and a
great volume of water soon was being
poured into the flames. 1t looked as if
the fire, fought from such point,
must be eXtinguished speedily, and in
fact the glow was becoming duller and
the smoke denser, when suddenly there
came terrific explosion.
The walls Of the Empire Company's
building collapsed like cardboard. At
the same instant the walls of the big
saddlery shop bulged outward. and tine
top fell, carrying girders, beams and
twisted rods.of iron directly upon the
heads of the firemen on the roof of the
one-story building. AS the walls fell
out part Of the roof gave way, and a
half dozen of the men standing on it
were plunged to the ground.
When the collapse came the unin-
jured firemen stopped fighting the
flames and rushed to the aid Of their
comrades who were buried in the
wreck. The rescuers worked with des-
perate energy, and in a short time all
those who had been stricken down
were taken out and hurried away for
medical aid. Telephone messages had
been sent to all the hospitals in the
city, and many ambulances soon were
at the place of the fire.
The explosion that drove the walls
out was caused by the naphtha stored
in the Weiner building. The loss to
the Weiner establishment was about
$4,000 and to the Empire Company
$4,000. Adjoining buildings suffered
slightly. An investigation Of the cause
of the fire was begun.
Besides the blaze which resulted 60
disastrously, FIVE other fires kept the
Newark firemen more than busy within
the last twenty-four hours.