The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-25
SCORE NEAR DEATH
IN FIRE ON CEDRIC
Fireman and Crew Topple,
Overcome by Fumes in Gas
Clicked Hold.
ONE FIREMAN MAY DIE
White Star Liner Damaged
$4,000 at Pier at Foot
of goth Street.

The big White Star liner Cedric. load
ing for her return trip to Liverpool. at
Pier 60, at the foot of West Twentieth
street, caught fire in her after hold last
night, sending up dense clouds of smoke
that overcame twenty hremen and four
members of the crew. The ships cap
tain, james C. Carter, put the crew at
work promptly when the fire was dis
covered, but made little Roadway until
two fireboats and the land apparatus
arrived.
Engine was the first city company
~ respond and quickly ran four lines
OF hose to the hatch When the water
was turned on it's heavy pressure sent
the thick smoke clouds rolling upward.
Mixed with gas generated by combustion
IL was a dangerous foe, and one after
another the firemen fighting at the
hatchway opening were overcome. They
fell directly into the black pit fifteen
feet below. There was little flame and
their greatest danger was from the
smoke.
hurried summons was phoned for
the rescue squad of the Fire Department
and pulmotors. Patrolmen Stewart,
Duffy and Terminolla Of the West
Twentieth street station, who had come
aboard the ship at the first alarm, made
several unsuccessful attempts to go down
a ladder into the hold, and at last did
manage to bring up several OF the ship
crew The firemen remained there until
the arrival OF the rescue squad in charge
Of Acting Lieut.. John Ryan.
Saved by Rescue Squad.
Downing their gas masks the squad
a. NAA nr.d ha "a
delivery OF the firemen from the hold.
Drs Garlock and Hodges OF New York
Hospital gave them immediate attention.
improvising a ward on the ships deck
just aft of the hatchway. With two ex-
ceptions all recovered quickly.
Fireman Leonard Coyle, 80. of Engine
SIS. who was As minutes in the hold be-
fore being rescued, was unconscious and
1t Is feared may die. He was hurried to
New York Hospital
Allen Edwards, a member of the Ced-
rios crew, suffered from the effects OF
the smoke and a cut on the head re-
ceived in the fall. He was treated by
Dr. Garlock and taken to Bellevue Hos
pital
From then on the battle favored the
hremen. The engine companies and
dreboats put a dozen lines of hose into
the hatchway and literally filled II UP.
Capt. Carter said the hold was more
than half full, and the Cedric settled
slightly under the extraordinary weight
of the watery cargo. AS the water
level grew higher the flames which had
never been bright disappeared. and the
smoke was forced in great clouds out
Of the hatchway.
Damage Put Mt $4,000.
The damage as estimated by official.
If the White Star Line was $4,000.
although tho ngures may run higher.
II is improbable that any of the cargo
in that hold can be salvaged. The fire,
30 far as could be determined, had not
made its way through the steel walls
of adjoining compartments.
The fire was discovered by the night
Waterman. John r Troy. The ships
crew of 400 men was brought promptly
to the deck by an alarm and two lines
Of hose were run into the hatch. Almost
simultaneously patrolmen of the West
Twentieth street station on waterfront
duty saw the smoke rising and called
the city apparatus. Another call was
relayed at Fire Headquarters for the
FIRE boats.
Following Engine 8. Engines IS and &c
and Hook and Ladder IL put in an
appearance. The passing of the appa-
ratus attracted great crowd TO tne
waterfront, and from vantage points on
the Lackawanna ferry at Twenty-third
street and neighboring piers the audience
watched what seemed to them 10 be a
prospect OF disaster. The smoke lowered
In the sky and gave the appearance OF
enveloping the whole ship.
Deputy Chief Ross, who arrived on
the FIRST alarm. found difficulty in get
ting lines aboard the ship because OF
her height above the pier. In few
moments, however. the water was
streaming into the hold. The flreboats
willard, Seymour and Duane came
speeding up the river soon after and
for the next hour and a half water del
uged the hold. At 9 o'clock the fire was
reported under control.
The Cedric was built in 1903 and was
then the largest of the White Star liners
She carries $500 passengers and a crew
OF 400. It was not learned whether the
nre will delay her return sailing. She
arrived on Monday from Liverpool and
had cleared her cargo. The after hatcf
had been loaded and had not beer
touched during the day. The workmer
had been engaged in loading the forward
hold.
None of the officials had any theory
to offer as 10 the cause of the fire.