The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-02-04

burning joists were piled on several
large tanks of gasoline in the cellar,
There was constant danger of the ex-
plosion of these tanks and Chief Kind
Ter directed that many streams of wa
ter be turned into the basement for
the purpose of flooding it and cooling
the tanks to prevent the dreaded ca
tastrophe. In this the SmokeeaterS
were successful.
There is no definite information as
to how the fire started. Those at the
scene at the beginning said that the
flames originated in one of the upper
floors. In the opinion of Mr.. Driscoll,
the manager. steam pipes along the
stairway between the second and third
floors may have been responsible for
the blaze.
When the fire was under control
Fire Chief Kinder gave out state,
ment in which he declared that in all
his experience he never before saw a
building crumsle so quickly as this
structure. He repudiated a report that
the fremen were handicapped by poor
water pressure.
In the opinion of the Fire Chief, the
fire had been burning at least twenty
minutes before it was discovered so
that by the time he was making dash
over the Mulberry street bridge in his
auto in response to the first alarm the
second and third aoors all were in
flames.
Upon determining the extent of the
fire Chief Kinder sent phone calls to
the following FIRE companies: Hope,
Mt Pleasant, shamrock and Allison.
Later he seat in the general FIRE alarm,
, the two-threes" call. which brought
all the engines of the department
That was about 1245 O'Clock and FIVE
minutes later the whole burning build
ing collapsed
Before the crash Of the structure an
impervised water tower was made with
the use of the aerial ladder OF the Mt
Vernon Truck company. To this was
attached a hose line which was used to
send stream into third story win
dow. When the building fell part of a
wall hit the water tower, put it out Of
commission and did some damage to the
truck.
Cameron street is an important thor.
oughfare for trolley ears of the Steel
ton and MiHlletown lines and as hose
lines prevented the ears passing the
building they were sent to the lower
end OF the county by the Vine street
route.
Before the building collapsed, Ray
Yohe, "a years old, 1854 Derry street,
who responded on the first alarm with
the Mt. Pleasant Engine Company, was
struck by glass from one of the upper
windows that was broken by the heat.
His head was badly gashed and he
was rushed in the police ambulance to
the Harrisburg hospital. The surgeons
there said Yohe will recover from his
injuries.
Fire department officials said that
the whole building collapsed at the same
time, at 1880 o'clock, or just twenty
minutes after the first alarm was sound
ed. Some of the falling bricks and
blazing timbers fell on frame build
ing nearby, used as a blacksmith shop
and wrecked the latter structure.
The Ford Motor Sales Company build
ing was 9-story brick structure, prac-
tieally new. It was opened last April.
The fire, which started in an upper
floor, was discovered by William Wor.
den, of the Wofden Roofing Company,
who was having an automobile repaired
at the building.
The flames quickly spread. Smoke
was pouring out Of the third-story win
dows when the first engines responded
to the alarm.
The alarm was sent in from box 8,
Cameron and Kittatinny streets, to
which the central district apparatus re-
sponded. Before the first streams were
on Fire Chief Kinder had called out
every company in the city.
During the progress of the fire there
was series of explosions in different
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