New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-14
SIX FTREMEN OVERCOME.
Fumes of Nitrogen Too Much for
Them rboy of Acid Broken.

Six Aremen Of Hook and Ladder Company No.
% were overcome last night by fumes of nitro
gen while extinguishing a small fire that started
from broken carboy Of nitric acid on the
ground floor Of the six story building o: the
New-York College Of Pharmacy. at Nos. 10 and
III West sixty-eighth-st. The men were Cap
tain P J. Graham and Firernen P. ). Clark. John
Mclaughlin, Joseph Bona, Joseph c. Robinson
ard Charles Reich.
\ fve-gaIlon carboy OF nitric acid. packed in
sawdust and straw. was shipped last evening
from the wholesale drug house of AIcKesson &
Robbins. at No. 81 Fulton-st 20 the college.
The truck arrived at the college building about
$50 .. N. John Goetz. the janitor. opened n
side door leading directly from the street. and
two truckmen carried the carboy inside and set
it down at the head Of the stairs leading 20 thu
cellar. The janitor told them TO wait minute
until he made a light in the storeroom in the
cellar. where they were TO deposit IT.
While Goetz was in the cellar the packing
around the carboy suddenly burst into flames.
The truckmen called out TO Goetz. who rushed
up from the cellar and got by the carboy just
before the flames had spread that they would
have cut OF his passage.
Il is thought that in carting the carboy from
FuIton-st. to Sixty-eighth-st. the jolting Of the
truck or insecure packing caused the glass 20
dust and straw. This caused almost immediate
combustion. and the packing burst into flames.
When the men of Engine No 10 which is
within E block of the college. arrived. the flames
were shooting up high from the carboy. There
WAS no woodwork on the ground floor, and
nothing could catch fire. Still. the fumes from
the nitrogen in the acid were acrid that the
aremen had difficulty in reaching the blaze
After a considerable quantity OF water had been
poured on the carboy. and the packing itself had
been practically extinguished, several fremen
got hold Of II with hooks and dragged the carboy
into the street.
AT this time the men OF Hook and Ladder
Company No % were rushing into the build
ing, and Captain Graham and five Of his men
rushed upstairs to the first floor to open the
windows and search for fire. The fumes were
sitting. but the men rushed up after their cap
tain. They had reached the upper floor when
Captain Graham fell. Several others followed
him quickly Reich had turned about and start
ed for help When he reached the head OF the
stairs leading 70 the ground floor he too fell
over He was seen to fall 3" other trenen ana
Deputy Chief Langford ordered other men 70
his rescue. Two men who went up 10 drag nm
down saw TWO other men not far away. more
men were then sent up. With difhcuity on &C
count of the fumes they succeeded IN getting
the six men down 10 the ground moor ana IHeI
into the open air. The hremen were revived.
DR.. Charles s. Erb. the curator Of the college
who lives at No. l35 West One-hundred-and-
fourth-st. said last night.
The fumes Of nitric acid are very powerful.
because II contains 20 per cent u nitrogen
There IS 5 per cent OF hydrogen and - per cent
~ oxvgen hut the nitrogen fumes are so power
ful that they overcome the others. l am not
surprised that the fremen were overcome, and
had any one been asleep IL the building ne
might have lost his life if not rescued. The
cause OF the fire was careessness on the part
Of the shippers. The carboy should have been
hat
The damage by the fire was wholly 10 the
rarbov.