New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-03-12
ONE DEAD; MANY HURT
IN BIG OIL BLAZE .
River Fireswept When Burning
Fluid Is Hurled Broadcast in
Can Explosions.
WILLIAMSBURG IMPERILlEO
Engineer on Tugboat, Trapped
by Flames at Pratt Works, Is
Roasted Alive Before Help
Can Reach Him.

ROASTED alive Before Help
Can Reach Him.
One of the most spectacular fires that
! has visited Brooklyn in many wears de-
stroyed Yesterday the immense oil plant
of the Pratt oil Works. fronting on the
East River and running from North 18th
street TO North 18th street. Williams
| burg
one life was lost. while dozens Of per
sons had narrow escapes with their
lives, SO quick did the fire spread. The
victim was Edward Brown, the engineer
Of the oil company's tugboat Protector,
who was aboard the boat. which was
hemmed in by the flames when the river
was all af1re from the burning oil
The blaze started in the canning de-
partment. which is at the extreme land
end Of the huge plant, Al the end of
North 18th street and extends to North
18th street. II was a tall structure. Of
corrugated iron and brick. and connected
with a long pier stretched far out into
the East River.
Watchman shortly before o'clock as
he was making his rounds and had
opened door leading into the canning
department. The draft caused by the
open door spread the flames around the
entire room. which was filled with oil of
cOmbustble character. and before the
watchman could sound an alarm the
entire floor was abaze.
An alarm was sounded from the COM
pany's inside box. whic,: brought a fire
brigade composed Of the men employed
in and around the yard but before they
could stretch a line of hose the flames
burst through the sides of the building.
lighting up the entire waterfront.
Flames Spread Rapidly.
-Four alarms brought out many fire.
men. The flames soon communicated 20
the adjoining piers and TO several light
ers filled with can oil, which were docked
alongside the burning wharf. Great care
was maintained by the firemen in fight
ing the fire. as the canned oil exploded,
throwing the burning oil in all drec-
tons
one Of the thrilling incidents Of the fire
was the narrow escape of Deputy Chief
Lally and several Of the men Of Engine
Companies III and 15l. Lally was
standing near shed directing the men.
when a thirty gallon tank exploded.
knocking him down and covering him
with a sheet of flames. All were also
thrown off their feet and cut and bruised
by flying pieces or metal and for a time
it looked as though Lally and the others
would perish in tie fierce heat
At this critical moment, however, fire
men from the fireboat Body, which was
alongside the pier. rushed to the rescue
and pulled the helpless men from the
shed. Lally was badly burned and cut.
but insisted upon going back to his post
He and George O'Connor of Engine 121;
Henry Krebs. Engine 1J1 and Lieu
tenant Savage, Engine 121. were treated
by an ambulance surgeon.
The tug Protector sank at the pier
during the height o the fire. and the
fireboat Abram s. Hewitt took fire. II
was saved by Standard Oil tugs.
Thousands Of cases Of parafiine candles
on the pier melted. and caused the fire
men to slip and founder on the slippery
surface. The efforts Of the fremen were
directed toward driving the flames to the
outer end of the pier.
The fire burned fiercely. emitting great
clouds of thick black smoke, which hung
like a pail over the entire lower section
Of Williamsburg and the lower East
Side Of Manhattan.
Among the many tugs near by that
could not he released in time to escape
the flames was the Protector. which was
moorcd at the bulkhead between
North 11th and 10Th streets. The boat
had been made fast only short time
before the fire was discovered. The cap
tain. Andrew Bull. was still aboard the
boat. as were Stephen Bray, the fireman:
Samuel Samuelson, the cook, and the en-
gineer. Brown. When the captain saw
the flames in the river being brought ky
the suction Of the tide against the boat
and realized there was no chance Of saw
ing It he yelled to the crew to jump FOR
their lives.
Trapped in Engine Room.
All responded save Brown. who was
last seen going down into the boiler
room 10 bank the fires. when the flames
spread over the boat from the stem to
the stern. and before assistance could
reach the burning boat Brown was
trapped in the engine room and roasted
oil