The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-05
FIREMAN DIES AT HIS POST .OF DUTY Oscar Keith Shocked to Death
 by Electricity DEATH ALMOST INSTANT The Aerial Truck He Was Handling Touched Live Wire at Loveman,
 Joseph 6 Loeb Fire-Flre-
 men Mourn Loss.

live wire yesterday morning about 3 o'clock at the Loveman, Joseph & Loeb fire, Fireman Oscar Keith of Station No. l was almost instantly killed. He was aiding several other firemen in raising the ladder to third story window of the building, and it seemed almost a miracle that others were not killed also
 Fireman Joseph B. Miller, a driver at Station No. ?, was alse severely shocked. but his injuries are not serious, and he will be able to resume his duties within the next day or two.
 At the time he was killed Keith had hold of one of the cranks by which the ladder Is extended. Several other firemen were also turning the cranks to raise the ladder, among them being Sid Mid dleton, Sam LaRocque and Fred flaw Kins. All of them were more or less shocked, but succeeded in pulling their hands away from the crank when they first felt the shock.
 Keith evidently secured the full bene- fit of the shock, and it was so powerful that he could not release his hold. He was finally pulled away from the crank hy Chief Walton and Fireman Fred flaw kins, who received slight shocks while they were attempting to save Keith. For several seconds after he was first shocked Keith uttered shrieks which could be heard for blocks and which attracted large crowds A few seconds later he stood practically stlll with vacant stare in his eyes which showed that he was almost dead. As soon as he was pulled away from the crank he was carried to the Bessemer waiting station on Third avenue, where he died. The body was taken to the un- dertaking establishment of Lige Loy where it was prepared for burial.
 Nominal Damage.
 The fire which caused Keith's death did but nominal damage to the mammoth department store of Loveman, Joseph & Loeb. It originated from cross wires at Third avenue and Seventeenth street, sev- eral blocks away from the building. A branch exchange of the Peoples Home Telephone company had been installed in the building and the feed wires from suburban cities were connected with this exchange A heavily charged feed wire fell across one of these trunk lines and created the fire in the building blocks away.
 The wall over the exchange, which was located near the front of the building on the third floor, was scorched slightly. The automatic sprinkler in the building work ed successfully and prevented spread of the fire. The efforts of the fire department were to shut off the automatic sprinkler l so that the water would not damage the l building Yesterday afternoon it was l stated by members of the firm that the 1 damage would be several thousand dol lars but that it would not In any way interfere with the business of the firm A portion of the Christmas stock of books was damaged and the water reached some | ,r,1 hot In a | on the second floor was damaged The members of the firm were very much pleased with the success of the automatic sprinkler. and said that they 1 regretted nothing but the death of the l fireman.
 After the fireman had been killed by the wire, it burned in two pieces and the ends fell to the ground. The ends barely missed several firemen and citizens near. l The street for blocks was lit up by a beautiful electrical display. Sparks flew l in every direction and the crowd that had gathered fled as one man.
 In regard to the death of Keith and the current being turned on in the city dur ing a fire, Chief Walton said:
 Statement of Chief.
 "We had been fighting fire for fifteen minutes when Oscar was killed by an elee- trio charge. He was turning the crank and as I saw the ladder strike the wire, I thought the current had been cut off as is expected in all cases. In few mo- ments Keith gave a loud shriek and in- stinctively I knew that he had been shocked He could not free himself from 1 the crank, and I hurried to him and grab bed his clothes. l received a shock, but succeeded In letting him down to the ground. Fred Hawkins carried him over to the Bessemer car station. where he died
 fz.sI ! the wire split and fell to the ground bare- ly missing several fremen who were around the spot. It is a miracle that more men were not killed"
 The chief stated that in all cases of fire the current is supposed to be cut i off at the power house on the circuit af- fected. Why 1t was not cut off this time he said he was unable to say
 "The indicator at the powerhouse regis ters at the same time as the one at the central fire station when an alarm of fire is received and immediately the cur rent should be cut off near the place of | the fire" said Chief Walton. "I called up the powerhouse several times over the telephone, and ordered the current shut off, as the fire was caused by cross wires. The current was not cut off. however, and the result is known
 Chief Walton stated further that short ly after the accident the man in charge of the emergency station of the electric plant told him that all current had been | shut off within ten minutes after the fire | had started.
 Keith was about 35 years old and leaves wife and one daughter about 13 years old He was brother of Ed Keith, fore man of one of the wagon crews at Sta | tion No. l, and he leaves also mother and two sisters. He lived on Twentieth | street between Avenue c and Avenue D.
 The various fire engine stations were draped in black yesterday in honor of the member of the department who was | killed.
 Bremen Adopt Resolutions.
 The following resolutions were adopted by the F'iremen's Relief associations
 "Whereas. The Almighty God, in His | divine wisdom, has seen fit to take from our midst our esteemed friend and brother T. O. Keith,
 And whereas, in the loss of Oscar Keith our department is deprived of one of its most efficient and faithful members, and his family of a devoted son, husband and 1 father; therefore be 1t resolved,
 l 'l. That in our loss each member of the department feels that he is deprived of a warm personal friend and a com l rade that could be trusted under the most | trying conditions;
 '.2. That the heartfelt sympathy of the I department be extended to his bereaved | family in this their darkest hour, and | may they derive comfort from the divine assurance that He 'doeth all things well. a. That a copy of these resolutions be | sent to the daily papers and to his family