The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-11-05
;ee McCIothin, Fred Sanders
6adly Burned. Robert San
' ders. Expected to Die.
lATCH SET BENZINE AFlRE
Workers Unable to Escape
Estimated Large Damage
to Big Plant.

~ lighted match said to have been
<4fopped on the floor in the benzine
X84m at the big plant of the Milne
N<u4lr company in Avondale shortly
|5Etfpre noon Wednesday was RESPONSE
H{3* for the serious injury to three
&En3ployes and heavy property damage
xfum fire and water.
Lee McGlothin, Fred Sanders and
H pbert Sanders were unable to escape
flames which quickly enveloped
" An benzine room and were badly
y nl1n ped when finally rescued.
}3sy AIMS ambulance was summoned,
{aev INJURED were carried to the main
X 4p0B In an automobile, placed in the
\. ANA Uitlance and rushed to the Wool
74<r4- Johnson infirmary where they
qqyived promptly medical attention.
flesh Burned From Body.
Ebert Sanders was burned from
III to foot. His flesh was cooked
" chRrred and the skin hung from
lp body in patches. His condition is
NM cGlothin was burned about the
E Tee, while Fred Sanders, brother
sxf Robert Sanders, received bad burns
y about the head and face.
II jyJmfnediately upon arriving at the
ito the operating, room. Everything
'I,ossible was done to relieve their
SHuffering, especially :r the case of
a Robert Sanders.
AIhe Sanders brothers reside at 1901
'}EcNeil street They have been en-
fi0yed at the chair works for some
when the fire first broke out an
alarm was turned in to fire headquar-
tnrB at the police Station and Came
WcI Operator J. Z. Dorsey quickly
notified fire companies, who made a
xAst run to the scene. /
The operator had hardly finished
calling out the fire fighters before an
other alarm came in about the burn
ing plant.
Try to Check Blaze.
Heroic efforts were put forth by
~officials and employees to check the
blaze, which gave the, benzine room
the appearance of an inferno. but
their labor was all in vain. When the
IRE companies arrived they nurriedly
I'LL y lines OF hose and got busy on the
big task which faced them.
The firemen did good work in fight
ing the blaze. but brisk and chill
ing breeze proved somewhat of a
handicap. 1t was necessary to lay
long lines of hose.
y Assistant Fire Chief Barkla was in
charge of the work of the firemen,
and he received able assistance from
Dave Milne, superintendent of the
plant.
NE No Estimate of Loss.
Company officials gave no estimate
as to the damage. The benzine room
;,o I,o ;rI In 10
OF the main plant, was practically de-
stroyed but the building itself was
only slightly damaged. A large part
Of the damage was done by water
which poured through the third floor
ana soaked the stock beneath. 1t was
stated that the loss was covered by
Insurance.
The Milne Chair Co., was originally
located at Cleveland. A few years ago
the plant was wiped out by a disas-
strous fire. Undaunted over the heavy
Toss. the company ofiiciHls decided to
build in Chattanooga, and the break
ing of ground in the big field which
lies west of the East Chattanooga
car line in Avondale marked the first
step in the erection of one of the
largest and most modern chair fac
tories in the south.
Since its completion the plant has
been in full operation practically all
the time. 1t employs about 450 men
and women.
The plant will be closed down un-
til insurance adjusters arrive.
The benzine room in which the
blaze started. contained varnish, oil,
turpentine and other materials.
Robert Sanders, who was probably
fatally burned, was operating a Clip
ping machine. The machin, exploded
and Sanders was deluged with Gil.
Several Other Fires.
Fire which broke out in the base
ment of the beautiful home of DR..
w. A. Banks, corner of Chamberlain
avenue and Hickory street, Highland
Park, Wednesday morning, did dam
pge amounting to about $500 before
it was extinguished.
The furnace was fired and some
rnpers which were left too close to 1t
became ignited.
Three other fire alarms, besides
rssat from the Milne chair plant, were
answered by fire companies during
tho day, Every company was called
out.
small fire in the rear of Allday's
Garage did very little damage. About
s1o damage resulted from a small
hloze at Holmes and Machine streets.
shortly after noon another fire broke
ont in a house at 10 Divine's alley,
in the rear of West Ellis hospital.
About s400 damage was done.
with the cool weather of Wednes-
dow giving notice that winter has ar
lived, the loca' fire department has