The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-11-18
WALKS TO HIS DOOM
Comrades Are Led to the
Rescue by One of Men
Suffocated
CARRIED OUT ALIVE
Doctors Work in Vain to
Revive Man Long in
Vapor Filled Cellar

Napor Filled Cellar
OAKLAND. Nov. l7.-Overcome
by the fatal fumes of ammonia while
fighting a fire In the basement of a
drug store here tonight, one fireman
was dragged out dead and three of
his comrades in an unconscious con-
dition. The dead:
Edward Brandt. GA Seventeenth
street, crew of engine 1.
The iniureds
samuel Short, foreman OF engine j.
samuel Morgan, foreman Of truck 1.
George Sturnl, crew of truck i.
I The IRE broke out IN the basement
4cf Collins Brothers drug store in the
Masonic temple at about o'clock to-
night. Engine / was the first Of the
department to arrive on the scene and
Brandt the first man to enter the burn
ing basement He was followed by
short Morgan and Sturm.
In the basement were many bottles
Of ammonia. which burst under the
pressure generated BY the heat OF the
fre and the dremen. unconscious OF
their danger. walked right into the
chamber Of death.
BRANDT FIRST VICTIM
Brandt was tie arst to fan q victim
TO the sufoeating fumes OF the escsp-
ing ammonia, but on account of the
dense smoke his companions did not
notice his condition. Shortly after
ward they in turn were overcome and
dropped TO the floor.
When the danger became known all
the hoses We're deserted and fireman
after fireman rushed into the smoke
filled basement to rescue his comrades.
Short was the first to be dragged out
Morgan and sturm being discovered
next
Brandt had proceeded farther into
the basement than the others and could
not be found. In vain the members Of
the department risked their lives time
and again to reach him and II was not
until short had recovered sufficiently
10 walk that he led the rescue party
TO where he had last seen Brandt
When found Brandt was dying and
expired ia the arms OF his fellow IRE
fighters just as he was brought out
into the fresh air.
CAUSE OF THE FIRE
The Ere was caused by a break in
the aue Of the furnace through which
the flames darted, igniting some litter
or the underground floor. where the
clerks had been unpacking wares.
Among these were some bottles OF am
monia. the pressure from the contents
breaking the bottles and allowing the
fumes Of the death dealing fluid TO
mingle with the smoke.
BODY Is HIDDEN
IN the meantime z. whitehead, fore
man Of truck /. and A. Cozzens, fore
man OF hose ]. had been in the base
uaent and were unable to find Eddie
Brandt. Dry goods boxes had fallen
around him and his form was hidden.
Then Short himself and c. J. McManus
Of engine ! went into the place. Nc
Manus stumbled on the body OF the
last fireman Of three who were over
come and while Juggling the lifeless
form TO the surface was met by Short,
: who helped carry his friend to the side
walk.
The Gre was about TO break into the
store above when the department ar
rived. and had it not been FOR the hero
ism Of the men. Brandt and the others
the whole building would have been
doomed Brandt, Short and Morgan.
acting under the direction Of Fire
Warden Mcdonald, carried the first
hose into the basement, where the
presence Of ammonia had not been
suspected although it was known the
basement was used as store foI
drugs. When the men climbed down
the stairs Brandt noticed the oyerpow-
ering fumes.
what's that" he asked. and immedi
atelv fell Close behind was Short. VIII,
stopped to aid his stricken companion
and lapsed into Inconsistencies him
self, keeling back in the opposite way
These two were farther in than Nor
gan, who was the second man dragge'
out. The first was Short. and it tool
the doctors 10 minutes TO revive him
Then he began TO struggle back towar'
the cellar Of death, knowing tha
Brandt and Morgan were within. H
ss held for a time, and soon Morgan
had been carried out. He was worke,