New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-02
RAIN OF BLAZING OIL.
Eight Explosions accompany Burn
ing of VaLU0hne Plant.

The Valvoine Oil Company's plant, in Mas
peth and Gardiner aves.. fronting Newtown
Greek, In Queens Borough. totally de-
stroyed by fire last evening. with estimated
loss of between 100000 and $4,000 The burn
ing was attended by eight terrific explosions.
that shook the entire section and hurled blaz-
ing oil in all directions on the firemen and on
the neighboring buildings Six iremen were
hurt on a fireboat one probably fatally. The oil
plant occupied two square blocks and twelve or
fourteen different buildings In these buildings
and tanks were stored many thousands of gal
Ions of kerosene, benzine, naphtha and gasOlene.
The injured were:
burns on head removed to St cstharaes Hospital
head removed to St catharine5 Hospital '1'''
BTfa eo2G % St oagn of s&1 osp right leg
removed St. Catharines Hospital
No. IS. skull fractured nay die; removed to ST.
Catharine's Hospital
noved to Sc GaJaarin5a t4i @ Hospi1a 'u'' 0
The fire broke out from some unknown cause
in one of the smaller buildings, and was discov-
cred by Ernest Wirth, the watchman, who was
at supper in the apartments over the company's
offices. His attention attracted to the
blaze by a kissing noise He ran the
street and turned in an alarm from the inside
box at the Cooper glue works. Before he had
finished with his task, the fire had caught the
neighboring buildings and spread at such
| pace that he hardly had time to assist his fam
fly to safety, with the aid of the watchman of
the glue works.
+f'e nearest fire enginet was two miles dis
tant aud. arrived on the scer1e twelve minutes
after the alarm had been turned in. When the
attempt was made TO turn on the water it
was found that the hydrants were frozen. a
few moments later tank, containing sixty
thousand gallons of kerosene, went up. throwing
flaming oil in every direction and throwing
pieces of wood and iron all about the neigh
borhood. A large chunk of flying metal struck
Lieutenant McGarry. of HOOK and Ladder
Company No. IS. the head and fractured his
skull. He was removed to st. GATHERINGS
Hospital and the doctors there believe that
his injuries may prove fatal
BY this time three alarms had been turned in
and Chief LaIly on the spot. The hreboat
David A BooGy was sent for, and after con-
siderable delay arrived from its pier at North Sth~
st. 1t Immediately turned five powerful streams
on the flames Four other great explosions soon
| occurred, surrounding the men on the hreboat
! with flame. The revolving nozzle was smashed
| hv a piece of iron Weighing about 100 pounds
The brass thrown from the nozzle struck
CAPTAIN Marcus FtzGerald. breaking his right
| leg in two places and knocking him into the
creek Morris Brady Charles Smith, Thomas
Brennan and William Franklin, who were man.
Initiating the revolving nozzle. were forced 10
crawl to the rear of their boat ON their hands
and knees after rescung their captain with the
| greatest difficulty
Fire Chief Croker sot TO the fire after it had
heen burning about an hour. He turned in an
other alarm and ordered the ireboat from its
| nrecarious position The heat of the flaming
| oil was so intense that it drove the fremen
away. compelling them to abandon the plant to
its fate while they turned their attention to the
| neighborng structures Through their e1ort5
| no other property was damaged. After several
hours The fire finally burned itself out.
The business men of this part of the city have
for several days been advocating that a hre-
/ house be built near at hand and even offered
TO furnish the site TO the city free As yet
nothing has been done toward meeting their
wishes.