Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-03-26
S25O,0OO FIRE AT
CHEMICAL WORKS
Flames Destroy Mill and Dump
ing Shed of Richmond
Plant.
BLAZE HIGHLY SPECTACULAR
Formed Roaring Bonfire 400 Feet
Long. Consuming Great Struc-
ture Within Hour.
BLAZE HIGHLY SPECTACULAR

FLAMES. which arc thought to have
been started By an electric wire. com
plcteiy destroyed the mill and DUNN
ing shed OF the Richmond Chemical
WORKS yesterday afternoon, causing
property loss which may reach
325o,ooo. The fire was one OF the most
spectacular and disastrous TO occur in
Richmond for several years.
The harncs were discovered about 5
o'clock and the first alarm turned in
AZ two minutes after the hour. En-
s!ne Company No. 8 responded ana
Captain Rogers phoncd in the second
alarm al 5:l3. By the time the second
engine reached the scene the build
ins was a scething calhron Of flame.
Employees OF the company say the con
hagrat!on started Oh the fourth floor
OF the mill. An effort was made to
:hnploE thc IRE apparatus Installed in
the mill. hut hofor. II could he brought
INTO play the flames We're beyond con
troll.
ry cra.hs' n.hs o.a,o2u :" Earth within Hone:
"hich waS 500 feet long. was "a roar
ing bonfire. Within an hour after the
start the frame"ork Of the four-story
mill building crashed to earth. Ef-
iorts Of the t"o tire companies and
employees. who manned the company's
apparatus. were concentrated on saw
lhS the t:csilc which runs to the river,
ana the brick engine room. Although
This room almost joined the burning
building i did not ignite.
The acid mixing plant. which is only
few hundred feet from the mill
which was destroyed. did not take fire.
This was due largely 10 favorable
winds. strong breeze blowing south
10 the river.
Nitrate of Soda E1pIodc,.
Nitrate OF soda, stored in the dump
ing shed, resulted IN iifteen or twenty
eNnlosions Piles Of fertilizer fifty or
when the walls Of the building crashed
ITO earth. Officials of the company
stated that much OF this material may
be salvaged. The base Of fertilizer be
ing impcrviouS TO tire or water The
water, IL is said probably destroyed
the tankage blood. potash and other
facturc OF fertilizer. The mass OF ma
tcrtal. however. may be rcworkcd
Richmond Chemical Works. which is
one OF the many such plants owned
by the Virginia Carolina Chemical
Company. No member. OF the. firm
amount OF fertilizer partially de-
stroycd. but this is tho busiest season
OF the industry and the plant was
working at capacity. One hundred and
fifty to 200 men are employed in the
burned mill and the number OF
workers directly affected by BY the dis
aster ia estimated TO be 400 or 500.
Make Piucl<y Fight.
AZ the plant is located in the county.
the fire companies which responded to
the alarm used water from tanks OF
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Company. Two hose lines were
brought from the Kentucky Tobacco
Products Company. and one Of these
was taken by clerk in the employ
OF the chemical works to the roof Of
the engine room. only fifteen or twenty
feet from the burning building. AL
though the heat WAS uncomfortable at
a distance Of $50 feet, this clerk and
his few helpers held manfuliy to the
nozzle until the wall of the building
collapsed.
Nothing could be obtained from
members Of the firm last night as to
the plans for reconstructinE the plant.
Cars DclonE Eing To the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railway were saved by the
quick action of trainmen. who
coupled them to engine and re-
moved them 20 n place Of safety.