Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-22
20 FIREMEN AND
POLICEMEN KILLED
IN PHILADELPH HIA
Fire Fighters Buried Under Fallen
Walls, and Second Collapse
CruSheS ReSCuerS
WARNING COMES TOO LATE
Small Army of Police Working to
Avert Disaster When They
Fall Victims to 1t
TAssoclatel Presal

TAssociate1 Preset
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 22.--
Probably twenty hremcu and
policemen lost their lives carly
this morning in a fire which de
stroyed the hve-story brick build
ing of D. II. Friedlander, leather
dealer, 1116-1120 North Bodine
street. More than twenty others
have been taken to the hospitals.
OF those taken to hospitals,
half dozen have fractured skulls
and are internally injured. The
chances of recovery are slight.
Six policemen were known to
have been killed at 2:45 o'clock
when the north wall of the fac
tory fell. At the time the wall
collapsed there were about thirty
policemen and fremen working
close to the tottering bricks en-
dcavoring' to rescue the fremen
who were buried by the south
wall when it fell.
Fifteen of this number were
able to rush from danger but the
remainder were caught, many be-
ing crushed to death.
The blaze was first discovered about
10 o'clock last night and in less than
half an hour the interior of the build
ing was a furnace. Unable to fight
9 ,r Ir1 Hnnn1nn
structure, firemen climbed to the roofs
of three small dwellings adjoining. 1t
was here that the accident occurred
| Scattered about on the three small
structures al every vantage point were
nearly forty men, while clinginS to
their icy ladders, which was leaning
against the south wall of the leather
factory. were Patrick Carroll. George
MacHin=ky and John Carroll, all Oh
engine company No. Z
The men on the houses saw their
danger first and called a warning 10
their comrades on the ladder, but SO
sudden was the collapse of the wall
that no one was able to escape the
rain of bricks, twisted beams and Glr-
ders. With a roar the five-story mass
crumbled, carrying either death or in
~
fore had stood, ice covered, trying 10
save adjoining property.
The scene whicp followed was SICK
ening. Thousands of gallons of water
had already been thrown into the burn
ing building and there were at least
two feet of icy water in the cellar.
BODIEs HARDLY RECOGNIzABLE
Tho first two bodies to be taken from
the debris were those of Patrick Car
roll and George MacHinsey. Their
heads were crushed almost beyond rec
ognition. A few moments later tho
body of Charles Erderman was pulled
from beneath heavy girder, and John
CarrolPs body was taken out Shortly
afterwards Erderman's face was bur-
led in a. mass of ice and John Carroll
was frozen.
A hurry call was sent to all nearby
hOspitals and the police department for
assistance. Soon nearly score OF
anbnIances were at the scene. AS tho
injured firemen were lifted from be-
meath the debris they were ntinlstered
to bv the priests who had rushed to tho
fire from st. Peters German CathoIc
church, two blocks away.
While the injured were being removed
from one side of the building tho
rroans of other firemen could he heard
AT the other end of the burned struc-
ture. William Glazier Of engine COM
pany No. and Harry Bertolet of
chemical engine No. >, who were
pinioned by heavy girderS were ablo
10 talk with the rescuerS and direct
their work
GREATER DISASTER TO COME
John Carroll of engine No. also
was able to converse with the rescuers
but succumbed before he was reached
In tho meantime a greater disaster
was threatening the men buried in tho
ruins. The north wall which had re-
NAMED standing. began to totter and
fears were entertained that it would
crash down upon the firemen at any
moment.
superintendent Taylor hurried 200
policemen to tho scene, with instrpc-
tions TO tear the wall down and at all
hazards TO prevent it from falling upon
that OF the frozen and seriously in
iured men who were alive and further
burving the probable dead. This warm
ing was too late, as the wall fell whilo
the policemen vere working on it.