River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-12-29
"a F|REMEN KILLED At FIRE
Chief Koran and Many Of His Men
Lose Lives While Fighting Tornado
OF Flames in Chicago.

of this fell on the canopy over the
loading platform, tearing the latter
away and bearing it to the platform
itself, which was crushed like an egg
shell, with it's human freight of fire
fighting men.
Falling Bricks Injure Many.
There were scores of firemen stand
ing on the outskirts of where the
bricks fell Many of these were in
jured, some of them painfully. They
were taken to St. Demands hospital
and to their homes in ambulances
and police patrols, which were rush
ed to the scene by the score when the
explosion came and 1t was known
that there would be list of dead and
injured.
Fumes of ammonia filled the build
ing with rapidity. 1t was seen at
once that ammonia pipes forming a
part of the refrigerating machinery
that keeps the south end of the build
ing chilled for the stoarge Of beef
carcasses had exploded.
At once fear became widespread
that many fremen and their officers
were in the building at the time and
that the ammonia fumes would
strike them to the floor, leaving them
easy prey for flames and smoke or
killing them outright.
Fireman Work In Danger.
The rescuers worked under the
greatest danger to their own lives and
ignoring burns and hazard of falling
walls. Despite the fact that they were
aware of the fatality and knew that
the bodies of the victims were buried
under the brick pile, firemen worked
about the pile, directing streams of
water into the burning building. Many
Of them went about with tears stream
ing down their cheeks, overcome with
grief over the fate OF the chief and
his Subordinates.
Begin Rescue Immediately.
Almost as soon as the wall fell
those Of the fighters who had escaped
the fater of their companions rushed
at the ruins to bring to safety those
who might still be alive. Amid the
blazing timbers, the redhot bricks and
the sizzling steel, the firemen worked
unmindful of the terrible burns they
were suffering.
The work of rescue was extremely
difficult. The terrific heat of the fire,
combined with that of the fallen ma
terial, made 1t almost impossible for
the rescuers to work without being
overcome. Even around the edges,
the injured could hardly be found,
because the dust and CRIME with which
they were covered made them almost
indistinguishable from the ruins.
The peril of the brave fire fighters
did not cease after the explosion and
the falling of the wall on the score of
men on the loading platform.
Other and smaller sections of the
wall continued to fall and warning
calls from commanding officers to
men who were imperiled from time to
time by these were heard continually.
Finally an order was issued for no
man to venture near enough to the
building to be caught under any col
lapsing masonry.
it's loss was practically total one,
was the principal beefhouse of the
Morris plant. 1t adjoined on the
south the building in which are the
main Offices of the company, and was
the largest of the Morris group of
structures. 1t was six stories high.
The structure consisted Of a group
Of four buildings, although they ap-
peared to be one, being built close to-
gether and the walls joined so as to
make them four units joined into one
They were Nos. 4, 5, and Z of the
Morris & Co. group.
rwenty-Three Dead In Fire.
Philadelphia, Pa. - TWenty-three
lives were snuffed out as the result of
a fire which destroyed the leather
goods factory of D. Friedlander, 111(
to 1920 North Bodine street, and az
many more were injured, many O.
them fatally While the firemen were
fighting the flames from the roofs of
adjoining dwelling houses the south
wall of the factory collapsed, burying
nearly two score of firemen. AS soon
as the extent of the calamity became
known policemen were hurried to the
scene in an effort to save those who
were still alive in the debris by. tear
ing down the north wall, which was
lettering.
This body Of policemen had scarce
ly got to work when the north wall
crashed upon them. At the time of
this second fall there we're between
25 and 80 policemen and firemen at
work directly under the high mass
of bricks.