New-York tribune., 1920-12-30
Three Fighting
Fire Overcome:
BRIT. Tied Up
Tons of Water Pour Into
the Subway Tube at Canal
Street, Hating North
bound Traffic an Hour
Great Heroism Is Shown
Don't Mind Me, Save My
Pal, Plead Two Victims
ON Way to Safety

Three firemen were overcome by
smoke at FIRE In loft building al
Broadway and Canal Street last night
and tons Of water, pouring into the
B. r. T. subway, caused a complete
tie-up of traffic for more than an hour
The fire was discovered about
o'clock, the attention Of a patrolman
being attracted by smoke pouring from
the fourth floor Of the building at Ala
Broadway. occupied by Louis Diamond
& Co., shirtmakers. The first frenlen
on the scene were the members OF
Rescue Squad No. l. Thinking there
might be some one on the fourth floor,
where the black smoke was thickening
at the windows, members Of the squad
climbed the fire escape in front Of the
building.
Lieutenant Overcome
Lieutenant John Coffey was in the
lead of the rescuers, and as they
reached the fourth floor a heavy back
draught shattered the windows. Smoke
rolled forth in such clouds that Lieu
tenant Cotfey was overcome and
dropped unconscious on the landing
of the fire escape.
Paul Marrond, a fireman, who was
close behind the lieutenant, saw the
plight Of his superior and, picking up
Coifiy. tried to get down to safety.
But before he could reach the ladder,
ne. too, had fallen unconscious to the
platform.
Realizing that both men were likely
to suffocate unless promptly aided,
Fireman William Hutchinson got a
scaling ladder and climbed from the
third floor to the fourth, where he
picked up Marrond, who was closeset
to him. AS Hutchinson descended with
his burden out of the smoke cloud
Marrond revived and cried out:
For Gods sake, don't mind me
get Coffey!"
Meanwhile a big ladder had been
put in position and other firemen
picked up Cotfey, who, on partially re-
viving, muttered:
Never mind me, boys; get Marrond!"
Fireman Hutchinson, having seen
Marrond to safety, clambered back to
the landing on the fourth floor. think
ing there might be other members of
the squad there. He, too, was over
come, and had to be carried down.
Crowd Watches Rescues
A big crowd had assembled and
watched the successive rescues The
men were carried into the drygoods
store Of NJ. NJ Leavtt, across the street
at 413 Broadway, where frst-aid meth
DDS were applied
DR.. Harry Archer. Fire Department
surgeon was soon on the scene in a
specially designed automobile which
has not heretofore been used in res
cue work. In this a. tomobile is car
ried an operating table and folding
cots These cots were taken out and
put in the improvised hospital in the
drygoods store, the men being taken
later to the Volunteer Hospital in an
ambulance in charge of DR.. Lippman
The Offices of the Automatic Fire
Alarm Company, on the seventh floor
Of the adjoining building, at 416 Broad
way. were filed with smoke, and the
operators were driven from their posts
from time to time.
The fire caused damage amounting
to 100000, according to estimates
made by the fremen. the top three
aoors occupied by clothing and shirt
waist makers being completely burned
out.
Service on the subway was resumed
after emp oyees had pumped the water
from the tracks Water continued to
pour into the station until after the
IRE was under control about 10 o'clock.