New-York tribune., 1911-01-17
FALLING WALL BREAKS
A F|RENAN'S BACK
Four Alarm Blaze Lights Up
Brownsville for Hours and
Threatens Many.
NEARBY THEATRE DARKENEo
Cutting Of Wires by Fire Fight
ers Breaks Current and Fright
ems Audience - Waldo
Sees the Fire.

All Brownsville was aroused about y
o'clock last night by n four-alarm fire
that destroyed a six story loft building
at Liberty and Christopher avenues
one wall after another Of the building
fell crashing 10 the street. which was
thronged by those watching the flames.
The last wall in its descent smashed
into the trolley wires near where twenty
eight fremen were plying the hose. and
John Connors, Of Engine Company 1o7,
was buried in the debris. when he was
dragged out it was found that his back
was broken and that he had been Sc
verely burned about the body. He was
removed TO st. Mary's Hospital, whore
It was said he had only slight chance
OF recovery.
The fire was first seen by passersby,
when flames were shooting from the win
dows on the third floor Several rushed
TO the boxes in the neighborhood. The
local fremen were engaged at the time
in fighting a blaze at Blake and Stone
avenues. This greatly delayed them and
gave the strong breeze an opportunity
TO get in it's work. The damage was
S1@5,OOO
When Deputy Chief Goodison and his
men arrived the whole building was one
mass of flames. He quickly sent in sec
ond, third and fourth alarms and posted
his forces on an adjoining roof and be-
gan to play water on the blaze. Then
he saw that the walls Of the burning
building were cracking and shouted TO
the firemen to get off the roof. Hardly
had they done so when the west wall
crashed down and completely demolished
the building on which they had been sta
toned.
The next wall to give way was the one
on the Liberty avenue side of the build
ing II tumbled into the street, barely
missing the hundreds gathered there.
Connors. however. was the only one hurt.
When the wall on the Christopher street
side fell the police had driven the crowd
out Of danger.
The firemen early gave up hope Of saw
ing the building where the blaze started
and turned their attention 10 the ad-
Joining structures. Several times during
the battle it seemed that the frame
buildings on either side would have 10
go. and all the occupants were driven
into the street.
The wind blew so furiously that
sharks were carried a block away 10 an
Italian tenement house, at No. 224 Sack
man street There. too, the firemen had
stubborn fight in keeping the flames
from spreading TO the other houses
which lined the block. Hundreds Of
panicstricken tenants swarmed in the
street and the police reserves had to be
sent for
In their effort 10 extinguish the orig
inal blaze the fremen cut all the cleo
trio wires in the building. In doing so
they also shut off the current, with the
result that the Liberty Theatre, two
blocks away. was plunged in darkness.
The house was crowded and a scare was
the result. Patrolman Isaac Frank
rushed in and called TO the audience
that there was no danger. He then told
the orchestra to play. Their fears being
set at rest. those inside the theatre
made their way quietly to the street.
Fire Commissioner Waldo, Deputy
Commissioner C'Keeffe and Deputy
Police Commissioner Reynolds were all
nrcSent