Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-10-16
NUNS Packing Company Plant
Destroyed in Passaic-Ex-
plosions Cause Terror.
SEVERAL FIREFIGHTERS
HAVE NARROW ESCAPES
Twenty-seyen Horses Rescued,
Traffic on Erie Railroad
Tied Up.
Ispeelal 10 the Newark sLar.

PASSAIC, Oct. 16.-An aged woman
was rescued while unconscious, IA
part OF the city shaken by a series
of explosions which struck terror to
the residents of the lower section,
and traffic on the main line Of the
Erie railroad tied up for more than
four hours by a fire which completely
destroyed the packing and lard re-
filming plant of the Henry Muhs Com
pany, at Monroe and Central streets,
this city. early today. The damage
is estimated at $250,oOo of which
s216,0 900 is covered by insurance.
The building, a four-story brick
structure, which occupied nearly an
entire block, was a mass of ruins two
hours after the fire was discovered.
Every piece of flre-fighting appara-
tus in the city was utilized in an eff
fort to prevent a spread of the
flames.
Two of the walls fell, almost bury
ing several flremen beneath them.
With the exception of Fire Lieuten-
ant James Cunningham, who received
a slight scalp wound by flying debris,
no one was injured.
Twenty-seven horses were rescued
from the stables of the company in
the real of the plant. 1t was from
his building that Mrs. Steer. mother
of William Steer, stableman for the
company, who resides over the stable,
was carried to safety after being
overcome by smoke.
Policemen Discover Blaze.
The fire, which was of unknown
origin, started on the fourth floor of
the plant and was not discovered un-
til 1t had gained considerable head
way and had spread TO other parts
of the building. Policemen Noonan
and Frain, who were standing a
block away, were first attracted to
the building by the glare in the sky.
While one of them ran to h build
ing the other turned n an alarm of
fire. This was at ABB o'clock.
Two minutes later part OF the fire
apparatus was on the ground and the
second alarm was turned in. In a
rev In1luIeS hltcch 6ifCdhiS Weio
being played on the blaze from all
sides.
Shortly after the flremen started to
work four explosions, which shook
the building as well as those in the
immediate vicinity, occurred. These
were the ammonia coils on the second
and third floors. It is thought that
the explosions Weakened the side wall
on Monroe street and caused it to
fall. A few minutes later the rear
wall also fell.
Woman Carried Out.
While the iremen were fighting the
blaze, the police made their way to
the stables In the rear, where they
succeeded In getting all of the horses.
twenty-seven in number, to safety.
II was while going after the horses
thai the plight of Mrs. Steer was dis
covered. She was taken to the street,
where she quickly revived and was
pronounced out of danger.
1t was at first thought that two
lives had been lost in the fire, but
this was afterward denied. Traffic
along the Erie Railroad was not re-
sumed until 1925 o'clock, when the
first eastbound train was sent
through. The Waterman was MAX
ing his rounds on the first floor when
he noticed the glare down the ele-
yator shaft, but by the time he in