The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-03-27
Capt. Walsh and Three Of His
Men Crushed to Death.
EXPLOSION CAUSED COLLAPSE
Fire In Factory Building at New York
Did Damage Amounting u
Nearly $400,O00

New York, March 27.-Four fremen
were killed and about score OF firemen
and citizens were injured yesterday in a
fire. accompanied by a series OF explo-
sions, that demolished a six story fac
btttfttng ut Bedford ana Downing
streets. in the Greenwich Village district
on the lower west side OF the city
That the damage. which is estimated at
from 10000 to 100000, was not far great
er was declared by Chief Croker to be due
TO the explosions which shattered the
building and crushed the blaze beneath
tons OF wreckage at the moment when the
flames were completely beyond control
and threatening to sweep the entire block
one fireman was taken out OF the build
| inb alive, but died almost instantly. The
bodies OF three OF his comrades were re-
covered after the fire was out, crushed
| under the wreckage OF floors and walls
| that followed the explosions
| The dead are: Capt. John Walsh and
| Fireman George c. Cristman, Thomas l..
| Halpin and j. Healy, all OF Engine Com
| pany, No. IA.
Firemen Jacob Cohen and Lewis f. Call
| also OF Engine IL. were burned and
bruised and removed to the hospital. The
| other persons injured were for the most
part employees in the factory. dwellers In
the adjacent tenements and persons pass
| ing In the streets who were struck by fall
| Ing bricks or fragments OF glass. None Of
| them was seriously hurt.
A BURST OF FLAME.
Three hundred men and women were In
| the factory during the lunch hour, when
slight explosion occurred on one OF the
| upper floors, and almost instantly the
whole structure was enveloped In flames.
h.I
| the stairs. but the greater number were
| compelled TO take refuge on the fire es-
cape. where they remained huddled to-
getner Hrd fmpIor1ng assistance until the
| fire engines arrived.
| Before the fire ladders could be run I'd
| policemen, firemen and volunteers formed
| a human pyramid against the front wall
| or the factory. and In this way handed
| down TO safety more than 60 girls who
| were clinging TO the FIRE escape In the
| second hoor. Otners jumped into the life
| saving nets or on piles OF bedding hastily
gathered and heaped on the sidewalks
In ten minutes all the occupants OF the
building had been taken out in safety and
unhurt, save for minor injuries.
| Four alarms were rung in rapid sue
| cession and several hundred policemen
! We're rushed TO the scene to control the
panic stricken crowds that thronged all
the streets in the vicinity OF the factory.
| All ltneHcDtS were ordered
vacated ana this task had barely been
accomplished when a toppling wall
| crushed in the upper part OF a row OF
seven tenements. A moment later the
| flames shot across the street. setting fire
10 a row OF buildings
| WALLS FALL INWARD
| Hardly had the flames enveloped the
| building. which occurred within a few
| minutes after outbreak, when a terrific
4 nv nj fsspi.t Coll t,,- a
cession by four more. the last of such vio-
| lence as TO shake the buildings for blocks
| around. With the last detonation what
remained OF the walls fell inward, smoth-
| ering the flames, which a moment before
were shooting 200 feet into the air.
Within 40 minutes after the blaze
| showed itself all that remained of the
huge building was glowing heap OF
| shattered floors, walls and beams be-
meath which were buried the bodies OF the
| four firemen.
| Just after the second explosion Cap
| tain Walsh and the men OF his company
| made a gallant effort to force their way
| close to the rear OF the building in order
| TO get a line on the hottest part of the
| fire and while so engaged the north wall
| crashed down on them.
| Healy. who was not completely buried.
| wac dragged out dying. or the whole
| company every man was either killed
| or wounded.
THAT Walsh Ard his tive comrades had
| perished was not known until the roll was
| called after the fire. when they were
| found to be missing, and search was
made.
Captain Walsh was born in this city In
1864 and had three times received honora-
able mention for gallantry In the line of
duty He commanded the company sent
from this city TO the Baltimore fire. This
company stopped the big fire.
The factory was occupied by the EN-
pire Art Metal company. the Standard
Thread company and the Metal Stamp
company, which owned the building.
Chief Croker. who took charge OF the
hre. said the fire and attendant explo-
sious occurred among n lot OF benzine
a nd cnllillnid hIIf what NnOr he uua