Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-11-07
TWENTY-FIVE DIE
IN FACTORY FIRE
Bodies of Twelve Girls and Men
Recovered-Othcrs Buried
in Ruins.
FORTY SERIOUSLY INJURED
Twenty Slightly Hurt in Worst
New York Blaze Since
Triangle Disaster.
FORTY SERIOUSLY INJURED

NEW YORK. November G.-Twclve
men and girls lost their lives to-day in
a fire which destroyed an old four story
brick and wooden factory building in
the williamsburg section or Brooklyn.
a search Of the ruins is expected to
uncover the bodies Of thirteen other
victims, eight Of them girls. who were
reported as missing tonight or the
forty injured in hospitals. many were
expected to die. a score more were
less seriously burned and bruised.
The building was occupied By n
candy manufacturing concern and three
clothing manufacturers. whose en-
ployecs normally totaled 800. More
than third had been dismissed before
the fire started. for a Saturday half
holiday.
, MEN AND WOMEN LEAP
FROM UPPER WINDOWS
The flames were discovered shortly
before O'Clock by a girl employee Of
the candy factory, which occupied the
ground floor and basement. and were
soon roaring UP the elevator shaft.
! around which wound the principal
stairway.
There was one other stairway in the
rear of the building, and some Of the
cntrapped persons escaped by that, but
before the hremen arrived men and
women were leapinE from the windows
The flames had swiftly mushroomed
from the elevator shaft into the fourth
moor, and scarcely had the first streams
of water entered the building when the
roof collapsed. The other floors soon
after fell. one by one.
WORST DISASTER SINCE
TRIANGLE CATASTROPIII
To-day's disaster was the worst fac
tory fire in New York since the Triangle
Waist Company disaster of several
years ago, with its loss of las lives
The flames spread SO rapidly that
escape for most OF the employees in the
building by stairs and elevator was
impossible. The only fire escape be-
came jammed. The flames drove the
frightened men and women to the
windows and forced them to jump.
or the eleven bodies recovered, six
were taken from the fire escape and
four were found hanging out Of win
dows. charred beyond recognition.
Several of these were girls burned 10
death in the sight of a great crowd
Of helpless spectators.
CITY OFFICIALS START
INYESTIGATION AT ONCE
NO one could be found tonight to
tell how the fire started
Not until the list Of employees in the
building has been checked up and the
ruins searched were the police willing
tonight TO believe that the death list
would exceed twenty-five. One victim,
man, died in the hospital from a frac-
tured skull.
Coroner Wagner started an investi-
cation of the cause OF the disaster and
other city officials were soon on the
scene for the same purpose. They
were able, however, to gain little in
formation other than that the fire ap-
nearcd 10 have originated in the Dia-
mond candy factory, probably in the
basement. where the cooking was done
The loss of life was chiefly among
the employees of the Essex Shirt Com
pany and the B. L. e w. Tailoring
Company. on the third and fourth
floors.
OWNERS OF BUILDING
HELD WITHOUT BAIL
After preliminary investigation by
the authorities. Mrs. Edward L. Dia-
mond. owner of the building. and her
husband were arrested on a charge Of
criminal negligence and remanded TO
Jail without bail. Mr.. Diamond said
he was in the building at the time OF
the fire. but claimed Ignorance as to
the cause.
-Four separate Investigations were
under way tonight in an effort to fix
the responsibility. These were by the
coroner. district attorney, fire mar
shall and police department
One additional body, that of man,
was found In the ruins, bringing the
total known victims up to thirteen.