New-York tribune., 1920-12-06
Hundreds Flee Homes
III Brooklyn as Blasts of
Ammunition on Army
Lighter Rock Buildings
Two Aboard Craft
Reported Missing
Auto Unroofed and Occla-
pants Hurt; Windows
Shattered for Blocks

An army lighter laden with about
$4,000 pounds of artillery ammunition
caught fire about $50 p m. Yesterday
at Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn Within a
few minutes the fire had spread to the
pier where it was moored. flames were
towering into the sky, decorations
were shattering windows for blocks
around and 6-inch and lo-inch projec-
tiles we're screeching overhead.
About dozen persons were injured.
three Of them severely and two are
missing. Several houses were struck by
the dying projectiles one being drilled
from side to side Residents of the
vicinity fed, while others, who saw tho
flames from afar, hastencd TO the spot
by thousands Six Of those hurt were
in an automobile which was unroofed
by shell.
Within two hours after the fge was
discovered the lfghtes was awash with
the water that tir4boats had poured
into it and the pier vas in ruins. The
damage, exclusive Of that to private
property. is estimated at 4bou. S75,00G
Origin of Fire Mystery
The steam liehtcr, the Nassakan, st
OF. from IIobohon several davs ago 10
transfer ammunition. 1t locked yos-
terjay at Fort Hamilton after collect
ing or deposting shells at Fort Han
cock Sandy Hook and Fort Wadaworth.
Staten Island. It tied up at wooden
pier which projects l75 feet into the
Lower Bay at tnq southwest corner Of
the military reservation. The pier is
at the foot Of Fort hamilton Parkway
and about 150 yards from the shore
Road, which is ,hrongod with automo-
bilcs, particularly on SUNDAYS.
At Fort Hamilton the vessel vas to
take aboard 600 G-inch shells and be
tween forty and fifty lO-inch shells,
which were to be delivered at Fort
Warren, Boston. The work of loading
the lighter was completed in the after
noon and at $50 only two Of its civil
ian crew We're aboard. What became
OF these two men is not known, nor has
the origin Of the fire been discovered.
TIE flames already had good head
way when an officer from the fort came
painting UP to a police booth on the
Shore Road and informed patrolman
John F.. Conc that an ammunition boat
was aiire and he would have to keep
people out OF the danger zone
At that moment automobiles from
both directions were passing Che police
booth at the rate of about a dozen
minute, the stores and dance halls On
Fifth Avenue were lighting up and
there seas the usual Sunday throng
abroad. Cones first concern was to di-
vert traffic on the Shore Road, and
somehow or other he managed it sim
gle-handcd before the first proiectilc
came hultling out Of the volcano
moored at the pier.
Police Reserves Called
Then he telephoned for assistance.
Reserves were sent from thc'i'ort Ham
ilton, Fourth Avenue, Fifth Avenue.
Bath Beach and Concy Island police
stations. and they had the aid of de-
tachmcnt OF soldiers from the fort At
That they mad all they could do to pilot
refugees out Of the danger zone ana
keep back the thousands who sought 10
enter it.
The fire brigade from the fort al
ready was at work at the fire and two
alarms brought the freboats Gaynor,
New Yorker and Strong. which were
reinforced by iiroboat Of the GUAR
tcrmastcr's Department and one from
the naval base at Seventy ninth Street
and the Shore Road. Inspector Hal
lock, commodore of the police flotila,
steamed up in his flagship, the John
f. Hylan.
In spite Of the danger. the Greboats
crowded close to the burning lighter.
from which shells had begun to erupt
IN tho Fifteen minutes that the bonn
bardmcnt lasted, at least fifty shells
exploded. The flames burned through
the hawsers holding the Massakan to
the pier and the boat began to drift
out with the tide
Its course was directly toward Fort
Lafayette, an island citadel about 200
yards oNshorc, which Is used as a maga-
zine for naval supplies particulavly for
explosives. The ircboats Oore valiant.y
down upon the lighter and seemed pre-
Continued page seven)