The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-06-16
Carried to Death by Fall.
ing Water Tank.
BLAZE PREVENTS A RESCUE
Men and Girls Buried Beneath Ma.
chinery Carried Down by Water
Tank in the Montreal Her.
aid Building.

Montreal. Can. June li.-Bodies OF
probably twenty bindery girls and
linotype men are buried beneath tons
Of machinery and heavy wreckage In
tho basement Of the Herald building In
this city. which was wrecked by Dire
Thirty were injured. several fatally.
Many OF the victims met their death
In slow torure. Flames swept slowly
upon them as they lay helpless and as
rescue party was lighting nearby 70
penetrate the building.
The victims were swept downward
through the building by huge water
tank. which plunged from roof to eel
lar. Almost instantly there was an
explosion OF gas from several pipes
which hung about the sides Of the i'm
mense Jagged hole
Flames. famed by a stiff wind. were
soon sweeping the upper doors Of the
building. Scores Of persons in the edi
torlal and other departments had to
night for their lives through smoke
and wrockage The fire department
was promptly on hand. but could make
little impression Oh the increasing
flames.
Cries OF the buried victims rose over
the shouts of the fremen and the
crowd which quickly assembled Al
81 a.. CflaIily
ing down the building. It appeared
Tor a tine as II some who hed been
hurled to the basement might be res
cued
The police headed volunteer party
which. protected by a water curtain
formed by streams from FIRE hose
tried 10 enter the building.
With the opening Of the doors the
groans and cries Of those pinned in
the ruins became more distinct But
Just within q massive wall Of flame
suddenly arose Gradually the cries
died out All attempts at rescue soon
had 20 be- abandoned
Building Cut In Two.
When the 10000 gallon water tank
crashed from It's support on the ROOT
and cut through the building the plant
was working at full force. The col
lapse OF the tank carried with 1t the
stereotype room and Immediately
caused the outbreak of fire which
hampered the work of rescue and was
responsible for some OF the loss OF
life.
The fall OF the tank cut the build
ing In two and employees in the rear
portion were swept down with the
wreck. Those in the bndery in the
upper part Of the structure were cool
In the face and danger and chung to
the windows until rescued by the fire
men.
There are fifteen injured In local
hospitals. some OF whom may die. As
many more were treated by ambulance
doctors for slight hurts.
The chaplain of the fire department
Father Martin. succeeded in entering
the basement. He gave general abso
luton. He found one man pinned un
der beam and soothed him until the
firemen were able to cut away the OBJ
stacle that held the victim.
The fire ragged for almost three
hours before It was controlled. Many
thrilling rescues were effected by fire
men and policemen.
The loss on building and plant is
estimated at $4,000. on which there
Is an insurance of $4,000
All the members Of the editorial de-
partment escaped uninJured, the dead
and dying being mostly confined to
the employees of the bindery and com
posing rooms.
Eighteen persons were at work In
the bindery department The great
water tank on the roof fell. crashing
into the girls room. .
All the engravers are known to have
been killed. and the body Of one ster-
eotyper was among the first taken out
of the ruins.
The collapse of the roof came soon
after the fall OF the water tank. Com
positors weer carried down through
the ruins with their typesettlng ma
chimes. and pressmen In the basement
were crushed under the debris.