New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-27
CAUGHT IN FIRE TRAP.
ROPES USED IN RESCUES.
III but T5ro of Engine Com pany
OrercoHlc an Duane-St.

Caught In q sudden ba tx draught laden with dead
! ly gas fumes IN a fire early yesterday al No. 20
| Duane-st twenty nremen became unfit FOR duty
nine Of them being sent 10 the Hudson Street HOS
/ pital. or the twelve men OF Engine Company
| q who left the engine house IN response 70 the
first OF the two alarms that sent in. only two
returned TO the quarters 1T for duty Nine Of their
! comrades occupied cots in the hospital ana one
! other had been ordered back 10 quarters.
The FIRE was in the 1--WE story brick building at No
1 a05 Duane-st. the ground floor OF which was occu-
! pied by c. J. westervet & Co. commission mer-
chants and the four upper floors by Charles Plum
/ kett manufacturer Of brooms and woodenware
] The nrenen Of Engine Company 2 overcome were;
! CLARK James. 80. ls5 Thirty St Brooklyn.
! ooNI.EY Dennis No. Il Hcratio-
DO0SAS. Captain James No 20l Monros-s-
McsTRR Thomas. No. 1906 Second ave.
/ RONBURY. Lieutenant Samuel. 1s2 vsricS-st.
SHIELDS. Emmett. Tonkers.
SULLIVAN. Patrick J.. No I2s Hudson
! From Truck %:
/ PE7TH. George High Bridge
/ McNIcor- Edward. No. - Pcsrl-s-.
one OF the first companies to respond to the first
! alarm was Engine .. The building filled with
smoke ana with pc ,uarly noxious and heavy gas
generated by the superheated bales OF broomco-n.
Battalion Chief Rourke ordered men upstairs
through the front door or the building. which
broken In. Lieutenant Ruch. Of Engi1e e, went
with his up the fire escape 70 the second floor:
/ Captain McCauas and the men Of Engine 81 went
up the IRE escape 20 tie third foor with CAPTAIN
Fuchs, OF Engine :. while Captain Walker acd the
crew OF Truck 20 held the ground floor.
Battalion chief Hayes assumed command Of the
men on the fire escape and Battalion CHEZ Roarke
directed the men who had gone ID the stairs. As
soon as the front door ana the windows at the
'front.' Of the building were opened the flames end
smoke inside were driven toward tho rear OF the
building. bursting the rear windows through which
the flames poured This was followed by an intense
back drsusht that a. powerful as IL was unsx-
peoted- The instant 1t was detected the fremen
knew their peril and made a rush for safety
The members Of Engine Company q having been
The FIRST 20 enter the building by the stairway were
al Tho front % the fighting line. and they were
first 20 feel the drauzht. Some % them Jumped or
zen down The stairway from tho second floor. those
who were affected most seriously by tho gas fall
ing helpessly the steps and being carried down
in the rush or left for time where they had fallen
while three. Shea and sullivan. Of Engine q. and
McNlcol 81 Truck %, fell through open hatch
way nom the second hoor 10 the cellar
Lieutenant Groves. Of Fire Patrol No. = ordered
his company 70 cease spreading tarpauins over the
goods on the first floor snd 60 10 the ali Of the
stricken men
Fire Patroimen Murphy. Cunningham and Skin
/ ner Jumped from the FIRST aoor into the cellar
where they found AfcNicol and Sullivan. and car
| RED them 20 the street. where two ambulances
! from the Hudson Street Hospital were waiting
! with Drs Warner. higgins and Wells
ovins 20 the darkness in the cellar and the din
Guilty IN finding the entrance. q was necessary 20
10 lower ropes 70 them and haul them 70 the ground
! floor.
CHIEF Croker had arrived at the Ere early ana h
aided IN getting his men Of the building While
McNicol and Sullivan were being taken from the
cellar those who had FALLEN on the stairway were
being carried out ~ their companions As yae, as
they were taken out the laid on platforms
~ me open air ana attended by the hospital sur
geons after an. sS n surposed lad hon
lescueo, FIREMAN Shea found 70 be missing
+5e "as discovered by accideu. by Fire PatroInan
teck. who had into cellar win
STOOD Tour feet deep on the floor. Peck stumbled
around IN the dark. when he tripped over The I'M
CONSCIOUS form OF shea. VINO huddled I'd on a
bale OF broom corn Peck carried Shea 10 the
street and ne Was taken with the rest OF the men
70 the hospital. There all were pronounced TO b.
practically out OF danger. with tho exception 81
Fireman Mc5irr, the oldest member in point OF ser
VICE or Engine No. =. McGirr had been partfy
overcome with tho in the back draft bur he re-
turned after the first flight. and rushing back
it,ALtfy- McSlfr again returned into the building
FlueTlnE severely himself. and finally was hauled
out by Battalion Chief Ross
Fireman Feth, who IS a "proha tiouer after
belAg dragged out was ordered by Chief Croker 20
return 10 the engine house. When the chiefs back
mere blt a little time when he completely
Another ''Tsrobatlonerr James Doughertv ~
i-i6lne NO 2, the youngest member OF the com
paiAS objected when ordered by the chief 10 go TO
las quarters so strong his objections that
| CHIEF Croker was obliged TO tell him To obav The
him.
That's the kind of men 7 want In the depart-
tnent, commented the Chief.