New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-01
SEVENTEEN F|REMEN
OVERCOME BY GAS
Thrilling ReScueS from Murray
Street Blaze When Pipe in
Cellar Breaks.
BATTALION CHIEF HURT
Walsh Falls Down Stairway as
He Goes Back to Make Sure
None Were Left
Behind.

Seventeen fremen were overcome by
gas fumes and Battalion Chief William
Walsh almost lost his life at a small fire
in the cellar of No. ~ Murray street
shortly before o'clock last night The
building is occupied by Froeber & Voll-
rath. dealers in crockery and china, and
the cellar was filed with salt hay and
excelsior. 4 passerby noticed the thick
smoke coming from openings in the steel
cellar door and turned in an alarm.
Engine Company 20 Truck Company l
and Engine Company q arrived simuta-
neously. and the men chopped their way
into the cellar. Headed by Battalion
Chief Walsh. they dragged several lines
of hose into the cellar and started their
streams. They had been at work in the
suffocating smoke only few seconds
when the fire caused break in the gas
pipes and the noxious fumes drove them
toward the street stairs.
Several OF the men succeeded in stag
gering toward the stairs, but others
dropped and were in danger Of suffoca-
tion when they were rescued by fresh re-
lays Of firemen. Chief Walsh and a de-
tail Of men from Engine Company %
were working line near rear stairway
in the cellar when The gas began to es-
cape. He ordered his men 10 follow him
and CROPPED along the wall of the build
ing until he reached the stairs. and they
were all able to staeger up to safety.
Walsh Falls Exhausted.
After a breath or two Walsh decided
that he would go hack to make sure that
none of the men had fallen on the way
out He was dizzy from the gas fumes,
and in cropping through the thick smoke
stumbled down stairway into the sub
cellar. His legs and arms were badly
scraped, but he determined 10 reach the
outer air. Up the two flights Of stairs
he crawled on hands and knees, and
when he reached the street floor he fell
exhausted
The fremen on other lines Of hose re
treated toward the front Of the building.
At least ten of them fell near the bottom
of the street stairway. and would un-
doubtedly have been suffocated had It
not been for the bravery Of their com
rades who dragged them out.
When Acting Deputy Chief Worth ar
rived he saw the danger Immediately
and ordered all Of the fremen from the
building until the gas could be turned
off. One after another the men were
hauled out Of the cellar and stretched on
the sidewalk. Many Of them were de-
lirious and 1t required the services of
their fellows. .policemen and others in
the fire lines TO restrain them
While DR.. Harry Archer. the Fire De-
partment surgeon, was working over one
victim ne directed fremen and police
men who were resuscitating others.
Soon three surgeons from the Hudson
street Hospital arrived, and they i'm
pressed several reporters and policemen
into the work
Risk Life for Comrade.
When the men were counted II was
found that Fireman George Orr. of En-.
gine Company 6. was missing. Lieuten-
ant John Tiehe. of Engine Company %.
although still suffering from the effects
OF the gas himself. jumped into the
smoking cellar entrance. closely followed
by Fireman William Wood. Of Truck /
and August Dahle. Of Engine Company 6
They groped about until they found
Orr unconscious near the bottom of the
steps and carried him out
Police lines were drawn for block
each way 10 hold back the big crowd
The dense smoke alarmed the passengers
on -he Sixth avenue elevated road. but
the train schedule was not interfered
with
The emergency corps Of the gas com
pany arrived a few minutes after tho
fremen were dragged 70 safety and
turned the gas off. Chief Worth then
sent lines in and drowned the fire. The
fremen could not explain why the fire
did not ignite the gas fumes The dam
age 10 the property was small.
All Of the disabled fremen were taken
to the quarters Of their companies after
they had been revived.