Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-11
THREE F|REMEN
LOSE THEIR LIVES
WHEN WALL FALLS
Capt. Norment and Privates
Atkinson and Odell Dug
From Smoldering Ruins.
DAVENPORT AND JOHNSON
ARE SERIOUSLY INJURED
Conservative Estimates Place
Loss at Crenshaw Warehouse
Fire at S45O,0OO.
FULLY COVERED BY INSURANCE
Virginia Street Merchants Will Re1
sumo Business at Once-Origin
Not Yet Determined.
COVERED BY INSURANCE
Virginia Street Merchants Will Re1
sumo Business at Once-Origin
Not Yet Determined.

Richmonders awoke yesterday morn.
ing to view tho devastation wrought
by the most disastrous fire which has
visited the city in many years and to
mourn with the families of the threo
members of the local Fire Department.
who lost their lives fighting flames
which. for a time threatened to wipe
out the entire wholesale district
The dead are:
Company No. l.
c. L. Atkinson
w r. Odcll
Tho injured arc: y. X Davenport and
t. ID. G. Johnson. Both of these men
are members of the same company oe
which the men who lost their lives
were included. Fireman Mcnamara, Of
Engine Company No. was struck on
the head by falling brick and it was
necessary to take several stitches in
his scalp
WE'RE ENTINGUISUING RI.AZE.
WHEN WALL TOPPLED OVER
Captain Norment, with Atkinson,
Odell. Davenport and Johnson. was en-
gagged in cxtinguishing tho fire In tho
smoldering ruins of the +. " Gum
& Co. building on Virginia Street when
an explosion in the building occupied
by d. S. Harwood loosened the par
tition wall. The wall fell with a crash
which was heard for blocks and buried
all of the men beneath the mass OF
brick and timbers
With the exception Of Johnson whose
head and shoulders were not covered
,-by the debris, all were hfdden fr"thc ruin.
Scores. of firemens and policemen. rushed
into the building before the dust and
burning embers had settled and began
cropping for the men. It required
nearly half an hours work to release
Johnson. Davenport was the next man
to be dug out, and these two men were
rushed to Virginia Hospital.
Within the next hour Atkinson and
Odell were dug out. and they. too. were
taken TO tho hospital However. Atkin-
son died before he could be removed
from an ambulance. and Odell sue
cumbed few minutes after he had
been taken into the Institution
LONG FIGHT TO GET
BoDY OF CAPTAIN NORMENT
Meanwhile. desperate efforts were
being made to locate the body of Cap
tain Norment The wall fell about
1880 o'clock and 1t was not until after
o'clock that the rescuers succeeded
In locating the body and in dragging
1t out Captain Normcnt was dead. and
had been for some time. His body was
horribly crushed. and it is estimated
that he buried at least eight feet
beneath the top OF the debris
At the hospital early this morning it
was reported that johnson was doing
with but minor injuries No bones were
broken. Davenport is more seriously
injured, having sustained internal in
juries and many bruises and lacera-
tions of tho skin; but he also was re-
ported as resting comfortably, and sur
gconS q the hospital SAY he will live
Early estimates of $500, 900 damage
done 10 property and stock by the con-
migration were considered conserva-
tive yesterday after fire chiefs. the pro-
prictors of the various business houses
and insurance people had investigated
Practically all OF this loss is covered
by insurance it is said
FIRE ORIGINATES IN BASEMENT
OF CRENSHAW WAREHOUSE
The fire originated in one Of tho
underground floors OF Crenshaw Ware
house. l0T Shockoe Slip, and the entire
building was a caidron OF flame when
1t was discovered 1t had been inn
possible to determine the origin of tho
fire yesterday. 1t is known that l,o00.-
900 pounds OF tobacco, the property OF
the Italian government, was stored in
the warehouse, and this fact gave rise
to the suspicion that the fire was OF
incendiary origin. This view ls not
taken by officials of the warehouse or
the police however. They are of tho
opinion that some one throw Il cigar
stump or a half -eXtinguished match or
the floor near the stables II, the lower
portion OF the building, and that it
ignited the trash and tinder In which
the place Is said to have abounded.
II. NJ. Bagby, one OF the watchmen
who was thought TO have been burned
in the building. escaped by narrow
margin He was confined to his bed
yesterday as a result OF burns about
the face and hands which he sustained
in making his escape c. u. Fudua.
the other watchman who was also
thought to have been killed, was To-
Gated early yesterday morning in the
First Precinct Station, having been
locked up early in the night on a
charge of being drunk
DAGBY TELLS OF HIS
ESCAPE FROM FLAMES
Bagby said yesterday that ha sent
Fuqua out of the building about 8
o CLOCK TO get some sandwiches. The
man was so long returning that Bagby
said he threw himself on bench near
the stairway on the ground floor oe
the building and fell asleep. He was
awakened by the heat under his feet