Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-07-08
SUB-STAT|ON At
KEASbEY BURNS
Lightning Strikes Wires Garry
ing Bolt Into Building Caus-
ing Disastrous Fire.
BIZ specsa, Correspondent.

KEASBEY, July Sire cause by
lightning totally destroyed the sub
station or powerhouse of the Publ
Service at Keasbey Saturday night.
Efforts were made to get an esti-
mate OF the amoun OF the damage
done from the Public Service officials,
but up until this morning no figures
could be given. 1t is believed that the
loss would reach into thousands OF
dollars.
Shortly after its discovery at $50
O'Clock flames seemed to envelop the
entire structure. Fed by the oil and
greases from the generators n
transformer, the flames burst
through the roof and shot high into
the cdr. Huge volumes OF smoke
were snt skyward-
It is claimed that the lightning
struck the telephone pole carrying
the large wires in the rear of the sta
ton and the bolt was carried into the
building causing one of the trans
formers to explode and burn.
Shortly after the storm started.
| John Kalberta of Maurer, operator at
! the station, heard a crash and was
thrown to the floor by the shock. He
was stunned for a moment and by the
time he recovered himself flames were
shooting up in the rear part of the
building. He tried to fight the blaze
with tn chemical extinguishers, but
without success.
So quickly did the flames spread
hat Kalberta did not IA time to
ave his belongings. He lost a new
suit, a sum OF money, q gold watch
and his registration ard. He pulled
out the switches and rushed from the
building.
News of the fire spread quickly but
considerable delay was experienced
in getting word to the fire companies
as the telephones were Immediately
put out of order by the burning of the
wires.
John Crancick, who lives nearby,
was one of the first to see the blaze
and gave the alarm. Meanwhile word
had reached the Fords and Glendale
fire companies and all the three re-
sponded.
BY the time the nremen arrived the
large tenement house beside the burn
ing building had started to smoke and
the firemen played several streams on
the house. They bent all efforts to
saving the adjoining buildings from
destruction and did wonderful work.
Fo- fifteen minutes after the arrival
of the fircmen. they were not per-
mitted to play water on the burning
structure az 1t was not known whether
or not the current had been shut off.
discovering that the current had been
disconnected. the iremen set to work
and In forty-hve minutes the blaze
vas under control.
Alarms were sounded from the
Fords Porcelain Works and the Ma
tfonal F1reproofing Company. The
chemical truck of the Glendale COM
pany was the first to reach the scene
and was followed shortly by the Keas-
hey and Fords companies. First AS
sistant Chief Heinrich Moog was in
charge.
When questioned this morning. the
Public Service officials said they would
hmm ediately rebuild.
Shortly after the fire had started,
all electric lights n power in Keas-
hey and lords were put out of order
and both towns remained in darkness
al night. The plants depending on
this sub-station for their power had
30 discontinue operations as the result
Of the fire.
The Public Service had all its force
OF electricians and men working on
the repair Of the power and lights all
night after the fire had been ertin-
gutshed. At 6:45 O'Clock yesterday
morning. light and power were again
available.