The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-12-19
Two Things May Have caus-
cd the Flames Last
Night.
INVESTIGATION IS TODAY
Building is Badly Damaged
by Water and
Fire.

CLUGE seem 10 nave nHen tue OTlk- III
Of the fire at CooH hospital last niEht
and third to Eavc caused the fur.
Their destruction of the interior and
the roof. 1t developed today tina; chi.
ployes at the hospital had been in
the habit Of throwing soiled linen and
blankets down the elevator chute and,
that next to the chute where the
weights hung they were in the habit
of throwing waste papers.
AS soon as the basement was enter
ed during the fire it was noticed that
papers and bliEkcts aud undcrcloth
Ing ID accumulated on the floor filling
tiVe.toOt space between the bottom
Of the shaft and the elevator engine.
Sparks from this engine we're known
10 be bad, 1t being Il five hundred volt
motor, throwing from it's brushes
nasty spark" This spark flew each
time the elevator either stopped or
started.
This is the first and primary reason
arrived at before the official iuspeC.
tor held this afternoon. This first fire
then caused gas pocket in the floor
on the second story 10 ignite sending
furious flames to the roof burning out
the timber as 1t arose upward.
Two nurses. detecting smoke opened
the door Of the linen chute and immed-
lately knew something was wrong. One
called the fire department while the
other quietly and Systematically mott.
fled the other nurses in the building
Upon the arrival of the fire depart.
ment, the third reason. the one which
caused the destruction OF the interics
became apparent The fire plug on
the corner OF F'airmOnt avenue and
Second street was frozen. One on
the corner OF Virginia avenue and Sec.
0nd street was frozen. After arduouS
attempts on the part OF the frcmCn
these plugs squirt forth stream which
at the top Of the building did not
have much force. \ third plug was
then attached. the tiremen having to
Use in all 900 fct of hose. This plug
was in good working order. 4 report
made by the city water inspector last
July to the city reads: plug at cor.
ner OF Virginia avenue and Second
street pressure lO5 pounds. bad leak
at top" plug at corner OF Fairmout
avenue and Second street. pressure
l05 pounds. bad leak at top" II was
ing the firemcn getting water to the
llaZe.
The cause for the existence of the
gas pockets in the flooring Of the sec.
ond floor Is unOfiiCially given as THE
pipe innserted here had Il right and
left-hand thread, thereby making il
possible that when the pipe was puI in
It was looSened when the final ConncC.
lion was made" The pipe e1rred to
is four feet long and has bend in it
six inches wide. Plumber Luthuy is
inspecting the plumbing Throughout
The building. He allowed gas INTO the
pipes at II o'clock this morning and
had to shut it off again as there was
L leak somewhere.
The roof and sun parlor Of the hos.
pital We're ruined. the shaft up which
the fire spread. is ruined. and abso.
lutely everything in the way VI bed.
ling, furniture. hospital cots. and tn.
bles that were not dragged out of
the burning building was drenched
with water, The snow and ice and
water from the roof came through
when the roof did. pitching streams Of
water into the fourth floor the water
carrying burnt pieces of timber and
charcoal all through the building and
soaking the walls and floors until
there Is not a dry spot from basement
tC ROOT. !, th" contrary everything
Is wet bnd frozen. water six inches
deep standing in some parts of the
house. The bremen kept water run.
ming into the building FROM u, III.
last night WHEN the fire started until
three o'clock this morning. cilc time
required to extinguish the blaze.
When the alarm was sent in it
brought to memory Il false alarm call
OF six weeks ago. the call bringing
the fire department to the hospital,
and no fire there. The call to the
hre department upon the former uccaS.
Ion said that the roof was on fire. It
was not the case. however. Help from
the outside was forthcoming with tho
arrival Of every man and woman upon
The scene. The girls from the Normal
school dOrmintory deserve credit for
their earnest and good work In assist.
ing the hospital employees ~ the fire.
men and police in getting the patients
but.
The firemen had enough to do to
6ght the flames but tried hard to many
other things. Not one of the firemen
Is able to get around in very good
shape this morning. their greatest suf.
fertng being smoke suffocation and
burned eyes. Both the chief and as.
sistant in their hard endeavors to ex.
tinguish the flames were overcome.
Chief Watkins was taken to his home
when he was picked up unconscious
with his oxygen helmet empty. Jump.
Ing into the chiefs place Ralph Doc.
little then, with his energies taxed
10 the utmost gave way after having
eaten the smoke froN the burning
timbers and chiefly because OF tho
amount of smoke frcI the burning
medicines which '!llea the upper floors