Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-12-29
TRAPPED BY FALLING WALLS
Explosion of Ammonia in Morris
Plant Causes Many Deaths.
BIG PLANT IS WIPED OUT
Men Fight Against Desperate Odds to
subdue Conflagration-Fire Fight
ers Face Death to Rescue Bodies
of Their Conrades-Worst
Fire in Years.

Chicago. - Thirty-four firemen, in
Guiding Fire Chief James Koran, were
killed, while engaged In an onslaught
against tornado of fame that swept
Into rubbish the new beef house of
the packing plant of Morris & Co., at
The Union stock yards.
Scores of f1remen were injured.
The property loss may reach more
than 100000
Fire Chief Horan's body was re
covered after repeated efforts to move
the smoldering debris under which he
was buried and removed to the home
of his brother, Daniel J. Koran, Sixty
first street and Prairie avenue.
Firemen Were PowerIess.
The flames spread so rapidly that
the firemen were powerless to save
the plant The entire stock yards dis
trict was threatened.
Huge tanks of tallow stood direct
ly in the path Of the flames and threat
ened to explode.
The fire was the most disastrous
that the department has had to con
tend with since the Iroquois fire, and
the holocaust at the Seventy-frst
street crib.
Buried In Debris.
All the victims were in the base
ment Of the new beef plant when an
explosion occurred that wrecked the
hYrS1 nd I'd 70
of debris. The explosion came with
out warning. The men believed they
had the flames under control and were
preparing to back out of the build
ing when the explosion of what is be-
lieYed to have been ammonia took
place. A minute later companions
were making a frantic battle to reach
the buried sufferers.
Wild excitement followed. Extra
calls for help were sent in. A major
ity Of the fire companies in the city
were rushed to toe scene.
The flames, stirred by the strong
wind, spread rapidly, and soon were
beyond control
Face Death From Explosions.
Explosion after explosion followed
and drove back the firemen. The heat
became so intense that the flames had
to be fought from a distance of half a
block
All the time great danger prevail
ed because of the tallow tanks being
close to the burning structure.
1t was hours after the discovery of
the fire before the firemen were able
to get near the structure Then the
body Of Morwerski was found.
News Of the fate of the firemen
spread rapidly throughout the city.
Soon hundreds of grief-stricken moth
ers, sons and daughters appeared on
the scene. Their grief was pftiable.
Policemen had great difficulty in
keeping them from rushing into the
flames.
Edward Morris, president Of the
company was almost overcome when
he realized that SO many lives had
been lost.
Waterman Discovers Fire.
A Waterman VIII o was making his
rounds through the structure discov-
cred the fire. He saw flames in what
is known as the hide storeroom in the
basement He at once teIephoned an
alarm and fed from the building. The
flames spread rapidly and with the
arrival of the first companies of fire
men general alarm was sounded
which brought over Is companies of
firemen to the scene.
The fire broke out at 4 a. m. and a
spectacular battle with the flames en-
sued until at a. M, a terrific expIo-
sion Of ammonia in the beef cold
storage section Of the building sent
a heavy canopy crashing down on a