Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-09-10
Factory is
Gutted by
Fierce Fire
General Alarm Is Sounded
For Blaze at Omaha
Body Company
Plant.
Damage Is 100000

Fire of undetermined origin, whicl
attracted thousands of persons, com
plete4v destroyed the three-story
building occupied by the Oman.
Body company, 1929 North Sixteenth
street, between $50 and 8 O'Clock
Ptal damage is estimated at $780,.
Flames and sparks shot skyward
and burning aembers were scattered
by the wind on housetops for block.
around.
The alarm was truned i'll by pc
destrian, who ran four blocks to Fire
Station No. at,Sixteenth and lizard
streets. just as the first hose com.
pany arrived the entire building burs!
into flames.
/, General Alarm.
Chief Safer said that when his
roadster reached Sixteenth and Glnl-
ing streets, he coud see that the
whoc building and adjoining houses
were in flames. Arriving at the fire,
Safer Immediately sent i'll a general
alarm and all fire fighting apparatus
in the downtown district and scores
OF firemen and equipment from otu-
lying stations answered the call.
The body company does big
business in building and painting
automobile bodies More than three
carloads OF bodies painted and ready
for shipment were in the building.
A few minutes after the firemen ar
rived the back wall caved and about
20 minutes later parts of the south
and north walls fell, endangering the
lives of firement fighting the blaze
on houses tofthe north.
Other Fires Started.
Fifteen streams of water were
poured into the building. The heat
was so intense that the throng of
onlookers were forced to keep NOV
ing.
burning embers started fires on the,
homes of Mike Galariel, 1886 North
Sixteenth street: Frank Sandau and
Rose Boscoe. l54l North Sixteenth
street; Mabel Donaldson, l543 North
Sixteenth street, and Nellie Hanna,
1889 North Cixteenth street.
The fire started from an undeter-
mined origin. 1t threatened the en-
tire block, including the Updike Mill
ing company and the Henry Trans
fer company.
Elliot B. Smoak, owner Of the
body company, said that the total
damages would reach 100000, part
" covered by insurance.
Smoak- stated that he left tha,,
building about $40 O'Clock. The
alarm was turned in Is minutes later.
He suggested that the fire started
either from sparks from an engine
in the back of the building or, from
spontaneous combustion.
Automobiles belonging TO the
Standard Oil company, Reed9's
bakery. Carpenter Paper company
and Mr.. Smoak's were destroyed.
+l Numerous Explosions.
Several explosions were caused
by hundreds of gallons OF paints
which were stored in the building.
Chief Salter warned his men to keep
several feet from the building. fear
ing that the front wall/would col
lapse.
This is one of the worst fires
of the year" said Salter "A strong
southwest wind famed the blaze
which, with paint, made fire-fighting
difficult"
The fire was under control by
ESQ. Scores of automobiles from
all parts Of the city were parked on
all side streets near the fire. Po-
lice had great difficulty in keeping
the crowd back from the danger
zone, which was established by Po-
lice Sergeants Coffey and Russell.
S. Smoak bought the Omaha Body
company three months ago. The
company was first organized by To-
cal stockholders about two years
ago.
Furniture of nearby houses was
carried block away by occupants.
Mrs. Hanna rushed into her building
while the fire was raging to rescue
her pet canary, Man" Mrs. Dom
aldson, despite warnings from fire
men and police, ran into her house
to save two of her dogs.
Fires originating from flying en-
bers on the roofs OF Mike Galarie's
and w. Peters homes were extin-
guished by buckets of water.
Smoak stated that lie would immc-
diately seek temporary location
for his business. He cont<inplates
erecting new building. The struc-
turc occupied by the body company
was owned by M. Kulakofsky,p
prietor of the Central market. Z
Police were ordered to remain
ovei night to guard the I burning
building. An effort will probably
be made to tear down the front
wall, which is still standing.