Arizona republican., 1921-03-24
OVER S75,000 |S LOSS IN bIGF|RE
 LAST EVE MIN |
Thirty Autos Are Destroyed In Blaze That Razes Two Buildings And Damages Two Others-Two Men Hurt

Two of Phoenix newest business structures, the w. E. Gardner and M L. Burkhead auto sales rooms on West Washington street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, were completely razed, two other buildings damaged, nearly 30 automobiles totally destroyed and two men injured in a fire that started in the reclaim department of the Gard ner agency at 5:43 o'clock yesterday afternoon. The loss is estimated at be- tween S75,000 and S100.000 by Fire Chief William Simmons
 The blaze was the largest and most spectacular that has visited Phoenix in recent years. Falling walls and numer- ous explosions made the work of the fire fighters unusually hazardous and resulted in minor injuries to Ed. Evans. a volunteer fire fighter, and B. H. Lar gent. member of a local tractor firm.
 While engaged in combating the flames from in front of the Westcott Sales agency, Evans was blown dist ance of nearly 35 feet into the middle of Washington street by a heavy con cussion that rocked the entire structure and caused the roof to collapse. The explosion was caused by a gas tank, it is believed. Evans escaped with cuts and bruises. Iargent was working in the North Bros. establishment when a portion of the roof gave way. He fell
 
 bruised about the face. His injuries are not critical.
 Cause Undetermined
 Cause of the fire had not been def initely determined at late hour last night, but firemen expressed the opin- ion that it started from sponaneous combustion caused by oil waste matter.
 Employees of the Babbitt Bros. agency, adjoining the Gardner estab- lisnment on the east, were the first to notice the blaze. An explosion followed almost immediately upon the discov- cry, they said last night. MT. Gardner had just locked the front door for the night when the alarm was sounded.
 eI had been through the reclaim de- partment to close the rear door only a few minutes before" MT. Gardner said last night. ''The blaze must have started after that time, for I noticed nothing wrong when I went through.
 The inflammable character of mater ials in the Gardner agency proved ready fuel for the flames and before the fire department arrived the entire rear end -of the structure was ablaze, Fire Chief Simmons declared last night.
 . Gas tanks, oils and gasoline caused explosion after explosion and caused a rapid spread of the flames. In less than Is minutes, the fire had spread to the adjoining building, the Burkhead agency. A general alarm was then sounded at the direction of the fire chief.
 Roof Gives Way
 As the blaze spread and grew in in tensity, firemen were forced to give ground. Weakening walls eventually forced their withdrawal from the roofs, where they had taken points of van tage in their battle with the flames This move proved wise one on the part of Fire Chief Simmons, for no sooner had the men withdrawn than the roof gave way.
 When it became evident that the two structures were doomed, the work oi firemen was directed to saving other threatened structures. Streams were materials in the different stores in the hope of salvaging at least a part of them. What success attended these efforts cannot be determined until after debris is cleared away today.
 By this time the fire had crept into the roof of the North Bros implement store, adjoining the Burkhead agency on the west. It had a fairly good start when firemen got to it, but it was quickly placed under control. A DOT ton of the roof went down, however causing considerable damage.
 A heavy fire wall between the Gard ner and Rabbit Bros. agencies saved lue ldIleT COHCeTl IEciii any iialcA iol damage from fire. Rabbit Bros, how ever, suffered some damage from smoke and water.
 Heat Is Intense
 Nine lines of hose were laid by the fire department in an attempt to drown out the flames, but the very charac- ter of the materials being consumed made water of little value, Also. the heat was so great that firemen could