Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-05-23
TANK Of
GASOLINE NEAR
GARAGES
Continental Oil Company
Wagon EnvelOped in Flames
Driver Bravely Unhitches
Horses; Firemen Subdue the
Blaze.

A hundred gallons OF gasoline.
ablaze In a tank on a Continental OH
company wagon, which had Deen
backed up on vacant lot between
the Dodson garage and the RIO
Grundc roOming house. which adioins
the Coleman Blank garage, caused
much excitement az 1915 O'Clock thig
morning. attracting hundreds OF peo-
pie 10 the scene. The fire. witch oc-
Cured On the north side Of Central
avenue, near Sixth street caused the
fircmcn 10 work for Few moments
under the Sreaetst pressure and ton-
sion. u was believed every second
that the flames from the blazing tank
would be communicated TO the ad.
joining compartments OF the wagon
and that an explosion would result
Fortunately. however, he flames WEI
subdued and but one tank, containing
hundred gallons of gasoline. was
burned, tho other five tanks. contain
ing five hundred gallons. remaining
untouched,
The cause OF the fire Is unexpluin-
ed. Fred Hamm. driver 0f the wag-
on. had backed up into the vacant
lot. Intending 10 fill AN underground
tank belonging 10 the Dodson Faragr.
and which has "a capacity uf ESQ gall
faucet and Immediately he was en-
vcloped in flames. IN some manner
the faucet became frightened and he
was unable So turn Il back Ia the or
iglnal position. Flames shot high ina
10 the air and spread 60 the rear and
front wheels OF the wagon. blazing
away on every part of the outfit that
was of wood
A. A. Ross. who happened to be-
a
notified the North Second street fire
station. The motor truck WAS on the
scene IN a minute and half tho
Highland company arriving soon az
ter. liamm, the driver. at the risk
of a severe burning. jumped into the
Flames and unhitched the two big dray
horses. which had not moved an lucn
since the fire began
The flames shot up and around
Hamm, but beyond siuged hair and
eyebrows. he WAS unmarked aud sue
ceeded In leading the horses To the
street, alter making vain and hero
ic effort 90 drive them out with the
wagon. Another minute and the
flames would have wrapped them
selves around the horses. but as Il
WIS they were not burned.
Fire chief Klein and his men az
once began battling tho flames with
Two lines of hose which had been
quickly lpid. The flames were shoot
ing skyward when the liremcn arr
rived while immense clouds OF heavy
black smoke were swept away Ia the
north aud the east
Women living IN the nciEhborhood
hurried away from the vicinity with
children ina arms and small vnluahlcs
hastily picked up IN confusion. a.
wab expected almost every second
that the flames would Doe commune
Gated 10 the Dodson garage on the
east and the Rio Grnnde rooming
house and adjoining Coleman Blank
garage on the west.
Garage employees. frightened he
cause at the fire. hurriedly drove pa
irons cars out of the shops and rush
"a out OF doors with any gasoline
tanks that we're stored Ia the places.
An Immense crowd of spectators
Witnessed tho gasoline blaze. which
wns m,hdued by the flremon within
three minutes after their arrival and
the wagon containing the dangerous
fluid was backed on To Central awe
nue. and ont Of the Danger zone,
The heat 81 the fire was so Intense
while IL lasted that Il cracked several
windows In thu second story OF the
RIO Grande roOminR house.
Driver Hamm WAS az loss a. Elk
plain the reason for the fire and said
he was glad 20 ecrupe through the
experience with his HE ana the lives
of the horses.
]. H. Hannum. sales agent for the
Continental company gave the 0pin-
ION that perhaps the fire started from
u possible spark from a welding ma
chine. oDeratcd In the Dodson gar
age. n short distance from whers the
wagon was standins.
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