New Britain herald., 1916-11-29
Occupants of Apart
 ments Ready to JumI For Lives Until Fear Are Allayed
NAUGHTON'S BAKE
 SHOP IS CUTIE,

All Apparatus Called Out for Seco{
 Blaze in Heart of City Within Ed
 ty-eight Hours in Property OwnI
 by Relatives-Policema MurpI
 Commended for Good Work
 Arousing Sleepers. cry at 361 Main street shortly befd o'clock this morning, endangeri the destruction of the four-stcI Reynolds block, occupied on Il ground floor by stores and above offices and apartments. The loss estimated at between $8,000 and $1I 900. Inventory of stock damaged fire and water may place the loss more than the later amount. Ignita of woodwork underneath the ovensI the bakery is credited with being E cause. { It is the second threatenl fire in New Britain with AS hot and both have been in the heart the business section and almost the shadow of police and fire he'd quarters. In both instances the prd erty belonged to members of Reynolds family, the Main str| block having belonged to the latel F. Reynolds and is now controlled his estate. A brother of the ceased, Hugh Reynolds, suffered| fire loss, estimated at between $8,( and $1O,000, Monday night at Commercial street property.
 Tenants Driven Out.
 More than 100 tenants of the Rel olds block and the brick block joining were threatened with suffo| tion and fled to the street and Y andas scantily clad. They wi aroused by the dense smoke or by lNemen and firemen who went throq the building awakening them WI it was feared that the flames VI beyond control and the build doomed. Policeman William Murl was especially commended for work in going through the smoI filled building to arouse the sleep| and guide the panic-seized tenant5 safety. Scantily clad, many appeal at the upper windows and pleaded assistance. Several threatened jump to the sidewalks but wi calmed by members of the police \ fire details.
 It was shortly before o'clI when an unidentified man on his v| home opened the door at police heI quarters and told Sergt. Theodore Herting that, what appeared to smoke was coming from one of windows of the Reynolds bloS Sergeant Herting investigated and covered little to indicate fire but tf no chances. Fire Chief Robert Dame and several men from he quarters were aroused and went to scene with several hand extinguish There was little to indicate fire they reached the rear door. n smoke escaped and flames were visible. The rear door of the .bak was forced just as James J. Nau ton, proprietor of the bakery, locked the front door to start w for the day.
 A cloud of dense, suffocating sni burst from the rear door almost oN coming the firemen. The interior the bake room was a mass or flaT, A few more minutes headway fire officials say, the building we have been doomed as the flames " rapidly eating their way through partitions to the floors above.
 Realizing the serious nature or fire, Chief Dame ordered an ala from Box 5, Main and Commer streets, calling out all the apparatu the city with the exception of Eng Company No. 5, which comes to he quarters on an alarm from this This company was held in reserve the fire, it being feared for time the flames would spread to buildi on either side
 Flames Reach Top Floor.
 Tons of water were poured on flames from five lines and chemtd were used to check the flames in partitions on the upper floors. over three hours firemen were h at the scene tearing out partitions search of smouldcring timbers. was found that flames had eaten til way in the timber walls to the floor The entire building was fl with smoke which found it's the brick walls to buildf on either side and caused much cern to the tenants.
 Chief Dame and Deputy Chief VI liam J. Noble were in charge VI George Kelly of the DO directing the work arousing and calming the tenants the smoke-fflled halls and rod above.