Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-13
SCHOOL DESTROYED
BY S25O,OOO FIRE
Three Adjacent Houses Raced
In North Bergen Blaze Famed
by Icy Gale.
Especial to the Newark start

NORTH BERGEN, Feb. 1S.-PuDno
School No. 8, at the Boulevard and
Twenty third street, and three ada
cent houses were destroyed by a fire
swept by the icy gale last night.
Three men of the local fire force were
injured and the entire apparatus of
West Hoboken. West New York. Wee
hawken. Gutenberg and Union Hill
were summoned to the scene before
the fire was brought under control.
The loss is estimated at s2500OO.
The blaze was visible for miles
around, and residents Of Newark.
Montclair, the Oranges, New York
and other nearby points thought a
whole town was in flames.
II is believed that the fire was
caused by an explosion of the boiler
In the engine room of the school. A
great deal of heat had been turned on
In the expectation of the ehildren's
return to school after the holiday, and
this, 1t is thought, caused an over
heated boiler. With a loud crash the
walls of the school building collapsed
and an immense pillar Of fire shot
up from the ruins. The wind, blow
ing strong as a gale. seized the flames
and quickly spread them over the
adjacent houses and scattered sparks
for blocks around
The families of George Mcintyre, at
1907 Boulevard, and John Maggie, at
6os5 Boulevard, were at supper at the
time. So rapidly did the re spread
that they barely had time to flee for
their lives before the flames had en-
veloped their homes.
Chief and Firemen Hurt.
Ii was while directing the fight
against the flames at the school build
ing that Chief Sweeney was injured
through the sudden collapse Of por-
ton of the rear wall. He was badly
out by flying bricks and when placed
under the care Of a physician 1t was
also discovered that both his ears
were badly frozen. Fred Miller, of
the Washington Hook and Ladder
Company, was on the roof of build
ing adjacent to Hufnagl's garage.
which the flames had reached, direct
ing q stream from a hose upon it
when the roof suddenly crashed in.
He and Fireman John Smith, Of Peer
less Hose Company, were badly cut
about the face and received body
contusions. With Chief Sweeney the
Injured men were hurried to the home
of John Bengle, at 65S Robert street,
where they were given treatment by
DR.. Edgar Roberts, who had estab-
lished a temporary hospital there.
while under the doctors care a shift
of the wind carried the flames to the
Bengle house and the physicians and
his patients were forced to fee for
their lives.
The intense cold turned the water
thrown on the flames by the fremen
into ice and greatly hampered their
work. Chief of Police Marcy, or
North Bergen, and a number Of men
under his command aided the tenants
Of the houses in the immediate vi
cinity of the fire in removing their
vsluables to a place of safety
In the house at 6066 Boulevard
Charles Englert had died short
fifne before the fire occurred. Samuel
sharpe, a Union Hill undertaken, was
preparing the body for burial when
the flames from one of the burning
houses set fire to the Englert house
AS quickly as possible the under
taker and his assistants carried
Englert's body from the house and
hurried 1t TO his establishment at
Union Hill. The house was finally
saved.