The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-03-19
BIC FIRE Loss ON
PARADISE BLOCK
At WOONS0CKET:

Yesterday afternoon Woonsocket was
visited by a blaze that was as stubborn
for the lighting firemen IL was disas-
trous to the building in which It started,
and there were several narrow escapes be-
fore the blaze was finally gotten under
control.
The fire started i'm the Paradise building,
building in Monument square. and be-
fore II was over every piece OF apparatus
In the city had heen summoned and the
llremen had battled for more than three
hours. Three alarms were rung and the
iiremen were called upon To exert and dis
play all the bravery that was in them in
order TO get the fre under control. and
so well did they work that several times
they were on the verge OF destruction TO
themselves In climbing about the coping
OF the windows in ordor To get vantage
point from which to successfully fight the
flames.
Ii was Just at the time OF the day when
the streets were filed with sunday prom
enaders and crowd OF several thousands
gathered to watch the work Of destruc-
ton and the efforts OF the nremen to save
the structure. TO add to the excitement
OF the occasion and the confusion there
were several explosions during the prog
ress OF the blaze that shook the buildings
in the nelghborhood and several times
caused the ircmen IN the windows ant on
the edges OF the buildings 20 clutch Tor
their very lives and 10 save themselves
from being ceshed 10 the ground.
The building has now come to de-
serve the name OF a fire-trap, owing 70
the number Of fires that have been started
there since the building was first erected
IN 1890 Three OF them have been OF a
very serious nature, but never before had
the flames worked such havoc az was oc-
casioned yesterday and for time u look
ed as IL there would be little remaining
when all was ended save the ruins and
the walls.
The fremen were finally able to over
come the difficulties and 10 save much
OF the building but even at the best OF
their work the loss 10 the owners and
those who occupied the building will be
something over $1,000 while the loss~to
the building itself Will reach about 5000.
or this amount there is not much that Is
covered by any insurance. few OF the ten
ants or the families living there having
taken out any insurance. The damage TO
the building itself is secured, so that the
owners will be reoompensed.
The fire was discovered BY MaxImillan
81. Denis. whose family occupies one OF
the rear tenements upon an upper floor.
He was awakened from an afternoon nap
TO find his rooms filled with smoke and
to hear his family crying Fire" He
dashed down stairs and informed Patrol
man Walter r Adams who turned in the
alarm and then started in 10 help the fam
lies TO escape.
The ,nremen We're soon on the scene and
lighting 70 get the flames under control
Chef jay Nell was in charge and distrib
uted the men 10 the best advantage. The
flremen grew reckless in their efforts TO
save property and scramb bled about the
coping and windows OF the building en-
tirely reRardleSs of the danger TO them
selves. During the progress OF the flames
Two explosions we're heard coming from
the windows on the front OF the fourth
fitor
The fremen clung to their footing and
continued 10 6Sht the flames and after
about three hours OF work they succeeded
in subduing the flames and saving much
OF The building As II was however. there
were several of the flremen injured but
mono OF them were seriously SO. The most
OF those who wore injured were found to
he suffering from being overcome by the
smoke.