Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-09-27
ANOTHER
TANK WILL 60
Great Difficulty Experienced
by Tired Firemen in Fight
ing Oil Fire : Still Blazing

Shortly before eleven o'clock to
day, the fire at the Barber Asphalt
Pacing Company's plant, which had
been smouldering since the big blaze
yesterday, broke out anew. El<lr3
the firemen considerable anxiety
and calling out additional tire713H-
The blaze. which originally started
at 1870 o'clock Sunday morniu<,
destroyed the large six acre plant
of the company with the exception
of one Office building and the piers.
The fire was one Of the hardest
the department in this city has had
to fight in some time The acri1
fumes of burning tar and the gloom
of the heavy smoke which covered
the country for miles caused 4
handicap which could not be ovef-
come. Many tanks of tar burst ~
the blaze with a resoundins rear
which hurled masses of flaming Ear
for hundreds of feet. The smoke
from this material was 50 thick that
even in the bright sunlight the fire.
men found it necessary to use huge
searchlights in order to see but
short distance. During the bIaz1
many feet of hose was destroyed.
Even with the aid of f1remeu from
Elizabeth, Woodbridge, Railway and
Fords, as well as two fireboats. the
William J. Gaynor and Socony. Of
the Standard Oil Company. which
were sent from New York City. Il
was only with the greatest difz7cu}t3
and danger that the IRE could b..
fought.
Whether or not any lives uers
lost in the blaze Is not known. bot
the officials of the plant are fncliucd
TO think that everyone escaped. Theirs
is still considerable danger at <f<e
plant today, as three large tanks 1<
benzine, which were situated In the
midst of the fire yesterday did not
blow up, but the new blaze today
threatens these tanks and although
all efforts are being made to empty
them, ii is not known whether 0f
not the work can be Completed IA
time to save them from exploding
The fire, following an invesrtEatlpn
by the officials today is said to have
started in tank No. e00 situated -
the southern part of the huge plan.
The reason for this tank taking dI<
however has not been explained The
complete loss. ii was said following
the investigation. may amount 10
about $4,000. 900.
The spreading of the fire to the
entire plant is said to be due to the
fact that the fremen did not have
proper fire-fighting facilities 70 fight
the flames as they threatened 3 tank
of acid. When this tank OF acid ex-
ploded, at II O'Clock yesterd4<
morning. burning acid was spread
over the entire plant setting IRE to
each place il landed.
The Barber employees labored IL
the burning plant until y,1e smoke
and acid fumes became SO great that
they were forced to seek safety. The
men endeavored in every way pos
sible to save what material they
could. and succeeded in movIHE to
safety two train loads of asphalt and
other materials. On the third trip
into the plant 10 get train. the frr
was so hot that the engine crew left
the engine and this as well as box.
fiat and tank cars were burnei UP.
Railroad rails were bent and txfzfed
from the intense heat as one co1td
twist and bend a piece OF cQ1per
wire.
CONTINUED on page 3. }
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