The Washington herald., 1921-03-14
SEVEN KILLED
IN $l,OOO,OOO
RICHMOND FIRE
fFiremen and 8 Civilians
Crushed When Building
Walls Collapse.
FATAL CRASH SEEN
BY TEN THOUSAND
Search for Bodies i'm De-
bris Kept Up All Night
By Rescuers.

By Rescuers.
I RICHMOND. Va. March I3.-Four
hremen and three civilians are
known to have been killed and
others are believed buried in the
debris Of the most spectacular blaze
4 in Richmond in years which this
afternoon Sutted the large furniture
store OF Jurgens Brothers in the
heart Of Richmond's shopping dis
trict.
Seven hremen are in hospitals ss
the result of the collapse Of a build
ing next to the burning structure.
in which the FIRE fighters and volun-
teer helpers met their death. The
collapse came in full view OF a
crowd estimated at 10000 spccts-
tors. With the exception of two
reserve companies the entire fire
lighting apparatus of the city was
utilized in the four-hour ight be-
fore the flames were under control
Wind Aids FLAMES.
4
discovered flames were leaping high
in the wind from the roof Of the
burning building.
The dead are Thomas r. johnson.
Grover Cleveland Richardson. and
S. B. Guthrie. OF No. truck, and
J. S. Gallia Of No. 1 truck.
The bodies Of the four fremen
] and one unidentified civilian had
been taken from the ruins by
O'Clock tonight with workers stin
searching for the remaining two
civilians
The building in which the FIRE
started was a retail furniture store
at the corner Of Broad and Adams
streets with a spring stock of fur
niture with highly infammablr pol
ish. None Of the men killed or in
jured was in this building.
Nearby Structure.
The building next to the Burning
: structure was one story lower. and
from its roof the fremen and 4
number of civilian volunteers were
attacking the fire by digging holes
I through the wall to permit hose
lines to be run through.
Without a seconds warning. the
sixth-story wall OF the burning
building toppled over. catching the
workers who were in it's range and
crushing the entire mass through
/ to the basement. taking all Eve
floors with it as Il went.
Seven firemen were dug out OF
/ the debris and taken to hospitals.
Capt. George n. Rogers. of No. 3
Engine Company, a 7i-year-oId FIRE
lighting veteran. was one who went
down. but had a miraculous escape
from death. sustaining a badly cut
forehead. An ambulance surgeon
patched him up and he went back
to work.
Escape Death.
Three eye-witnesses to the crash
who escaped death through resting
from their lsbors a few minutes
declared they distinctly saw three
civilians go down with the roof.
At a late hour tonight one body
had been found but It was mutilsted
beyond recognition. II is being
held at the morgue pending identi-
ficstion of a pair OF scout shoes.
Shortly after this crash a large
section of the wall on Adams street
fell to the ground with a crash that
could be heard for blocks. Twelve
firemen working in the street mar
rowly escaped death by needing
yells of the crowd and scurrying 60
safety. Two were knocked down
by the falling bricks.
Rescuers Delayed.
While firemen and volunteer
workers from the crowd were re-
moving debris from the ground
floor of the collapsed building ono
Aanl fnx. rA
necessitating delay of an hour in
rescue work while the wall was
propped up.
Damage to the Jurgens Building.
which was completely gutted. was
estimated at $4,000 while that to
the building next door. occupied by
; the Hopkins Furniture Company.
was between 5000 and $500, 900.
Director Of Public Safety Myers
and Chief Joynes arrived on the
scene with the irst companies and
the chief Immediately turned in the
, general alarm.
Captain injured.
OF the injured. Capt. Z. W. Har-
ris, OF No. 1 Truck Company, was
the most serious and was said at
the Virginia Hospital to have only
4 a nRhting chance TOT ms ilie. nc
was badly injured about the head,
face and shoulders When, he was
being carried out on a stretcher he
implored his rescuers to let him
alone and save>>his men who went
down with the collapsed building.
John r. PasadaE. a 2eO-pound
Iladderman OF No. Truck. fell the
entire 1--WE stories under mass OF
brick. Rescuers were about TO turn
away when they saw his feet stick
ing from beneath q pile of brick
Kicking vigorously. when pulled
lout he was able to walk Go the am
Il bulance with assistance but wanted
TO 20 back TO the FIRE.
The director of public safety has
hired a force Of laborers and with
the aid OF high powered lights will
work through the night until the
last body has been discovered. Dis
covery OF Fireman Ss-,.,s's body
was a surprise to the rescuers. as
Il was thought he had been taken
TO hospital.
Poles Hear Talks nm France-