The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-10-02
Gasoline Explosion Causes
Blaze III South Main
Street
LAMBT0TTE FIRE SHOP
TOTALLY DESTROYED
Building Is Guited; Will Be
Rebuilt - Grocery Stock
Damaged BY Water

A jug or gasoline, upset under a
yoIcani1cr in the tire shop of Leon j.
haDAiotte On South Main street be-
tween East Ohio and PENNSYLVANIA
aycnues at o'clock Thursday after
nocn, resulted in the burning of two
story franc building owned by Joseph
Mayer, Jr., in which he operated a
grocery store. The tire repair shop
operated by Lambiotto was situated in
. small onc.story addition to the May
er building and was also owned by
Maye.. Tho damage will probably
amount to $1,000.
Several minutes after the fire start
ed The heat burned the insulation in
one OF the large city fuses located in a
transformer In the alley at the rear of
the Mayer grocery. Had not the Ohio
Light g. Power Co., whose transformer
it was, replaced the fuse Immediately
the city would have had no electricity
Ter the night. However, it was not
long before the electric lights were
again burning.
As near as can he estimated, Mr..
Lalnbiotto said Friday, the damage
done win amount tc about $1,000, of
which $500 is complete loss, Mayer
carrying only $500 insurance on his
building.
There were several secondhand
automobilc tires in the tire shop, with
a number Of bicycle tires which were
completely ruined. The vulcanizer
was net damaged by the fire.
Most Of the groceries and provis-
ions which were in the Mayer store
were somewhat damaged by the heat,
but principally by the water which fin
ally got to the inside of the building.
However, Mr.. Mayer said Friday that
he would be ready to continue his bust
ness Saturday The entire building
viii probably have to be rebuilt.
The fire started when Leon Lambi-
otte, the proprietor of the tire repair
shop whore the fire originated, acci-
dcntally dropped wrench against a
small glass jug which contained about
a quart of gasoline.
One of the vulcanizers which Mr..
Lambiotte uses was close to the jug
and the gas flame under it reached the
gasoline, the fire spreading instantly
all over the small shop. Mr. Lambiotte
hurried Immediately to. the Mayer gro.
Gerry where he found Joseph Mayer,
Jr., and told him to shut off the gas
as fire WAS spreading over his en-
tire shop.
No sooner had Mayer shut off the
gas to his store in the cellar than an
explosion took place at the rear of the
small tire shop which brought the
flames to the grocery. The explosion
followed the start Of the fire about six
minutes, the flames having reached a
can which contained about a gallon of
gasoline which was at the rear of the
tire shop Just outside the door.
Before Lambiotte went to the gro
Gerry TO warn Mayer of the fire, he call
ed The fire department which rushed
TO the scene of the fire. Some delay
was encountered, however, upon the
arrival of the fire engine in the alley
at the rear Of the burning building as
the iiremen, it is said, had neglected
to bring Wrenches to open the water
plugs with them and, according to an
employe of the Hunt garage which is
near the building which was burned,
tho men were compelled to borrow a
pipe wrench with which to open the
plugs and obtain water to play on the
fire.
Everything that could be removed
before the flames reached it was tax
en- out of the building in which the
grocery was situated. The cash regis
ter in the grocery was removed.
The iremen began work by playing
the hoses on the outside OF the build
ing and on brick building adjoining
the tire repair shop. 1t was not until
the fire had almost eaten its way
through the Notwithstanding and
small tongues of fame had crept out
along the edges of the roof of the
grocery store above which Joseph
Mayer, Sr, lives that the men forced
a hole in the Notwithstanding at the
side and used the hose from the inside,
rhn hnnN, ,mnrn mood nnd Ihan shnt off