New-York tribune., 1921-11-30
10 Fighters Of
Flames Hurt i'm
Broadway Fire
Blaze in Automobile Row
ON Edge of Theater Dis
trict Gives Department
a Long and Hard Battle
Big Tire Stock Burned
Fumes Pouring Out of Gel
lar Penetrate Hotels and
Put Section in a Haze

A salesman for the Jandorf Auto
Company. occupying the building at
1921 Broadway, between Fifty fourth
and Fifty-ffth streets, noticed the odor
of smoke late yesterday afternoon
and jerked open door at the rear of
salesroom leading to the cellar. He
was driven back by a dense cloud bill
lowing up from the stairs, and in FIVE
minutes fumes pouring through the
opened door had filled the place, swept
out into the street and poured into
hotel windows, car windows and sub
way kiosks, cnveloping Broadway like
haze.
Fire in the cellar was burning
fiercely when the smoke was smelled,
and before the flames were extin-
guished, two hours later, fifteen fire.
men were overcome, another was in
jured in fall down the cellar stairs
and thousands of dollars worth of
automobile tires were destroyed. Broad
way traffic was tied up for more than
two hours and police reserves had to be
called to keep after-theater crowds in
check.
The spreading smoke was observed
many blocks away. but the blaze itself
was confined to the company's cellar.
The damage was estimated at $4,000.
Three alarms were turned in, and the
fire gave the firemen a hard fight be-
fore it was brought under control.
Chief on the Scene
The La Place-Raines Company also
has quarters in the Broadway building,
said to have been owned formerly. by
Henry Ford. After the smoke had been
discovered by the Jandorf salesman he
dashed outside and turned in the first
alarm. Assistant Fire Chief Joseph
Martin turned in second alarm on
his arrival, and the third alarm fol-
lowed soon afterward.
AS the smoke from the burning tires
poured into the street crowds from the
motion picture theaters in the Forties
surged up Broadway, as did crowds
from all other directions. Broadway
in the vicinity .f the fire became
call was then put in for reserves from
seventh Street stations.
Fire Chief Kenlon reached the scene
on the second alarm. When he found
there was no way to fight the cellar fire
directly from Broadway he sent the
firemen to the rear of the Jandorf store,
but found that entrance to the cellar
was impossible because of dense smoke.
Firemen of Engine Company 26 finally
plunged through the fumes down the
cellar stairs. Those in front immedi-
ately were overcome, but were rescued
by comrades and dragged back. Others
then attempted the descent and finally
succeeded in reaching the space below
sidewalk level. Then battle with the
flames started in which the firemen
were knocked out right and left.
Antiques Salvaged
Lieutenant William Head and Fire
man Joseph Lyman, both of Engine
Company &c, were overcome while
taken to Flower Hospital. Six fire.
men overcome in the cellar soon after
they had descended from the ground
floor were carried to the street, sent to
Flower Hospital, revived and sent home.
Others overcome were Fireman Thomas
Monahan, of Engine Company 26; Fire
men John Hurley and James McSherry,
both of Engine Company 40.
As the firemen hattlcd in the cellar
employees of the Jandorf Company and
employees of the La Place Raines Com
pany were busy carrying automobile
tires and antiques into the street.
Thousands Of dollars worth of an
tiques were hurriedly removed from
the La Place Raines Company show
rooms and heaped upon the sidewalk,
The smoke from the fire reached to
all windows of the Hotel Woodward,
on the opposite side of Broadway, and
to the Hotel Cumberland, at Broadway
and Fifty-fourth Street. broadway
surface cars were tied up two and a
half hours.
M7AAII--Apply Free Information Bureau.