New-York tribune., 1922-08-17
InqrliryOrdered
Into Two Blazes
On Tube Trains
Traffic Delayed ON East
and West marlborough
Lines; Passengers ON One
Car Are Panic-Stricken
Fireman Restores Order
Total of Subway Misflaps
i'm 2 Weeks Reaches 8;
Fire Causes Unknown

An inquiry will be conducted to-day
into fires which broke out yesterday
on two subway trains, causing hun
dreds Of panic stricken passengers to
make wild rush for exits and tying
up traffic on both the East and West
Side lines Of the Interborough. These
delays bring the total for the last two
weeks up to eight.
The memory of the near-tragedy at
Sktieth Street. and Lexington Avenue
was. too recent not to alarm the pas
sengers yesterday. The first fire oc-
CURED during the morning rush, when
the rear car of crowded downtown
Lexington Avenue train burst into
flames liam just as it was leaving the
Bleecker Street station. Heavy smoke
clouds poured into the last three cars
and only the presence Of mind Of a
fireman and several level-headed men
passengers prevented catastrophe
Fireman Hogan Finds Panic
The fireman was William P. Hogan.
who fought his way to the rear coach
when he heard the comm otion there.
There he found several men and
women trying to jump out of the open
windows Of the train, which was going
at top speed at this time. The motor
man, having been notified of the blaze,
raced toward the Spring Street station
blowing his emergency whistle.
One man was trying to use fire ex-
tinguisher,. but Hogan knocked it out OF
MS hand, fearing he fumes might add
ito the panic. In the space of q few
seconds he had quieted the occupants
INTO something akin to order. However,
when the Spring Street station was
reached there was wild scramble for
the exits, despite the efforts of the
subway guards to have the passengers
quit the cars in an orderly fashion.
Crush Holds Up Firemen
Hogan quickly notified Acting Cap
tain Halligan, of Engine Company 20.
which is near the subway station, and
the latter responded with his men.
The firemen, however, were unable to
get down the station stairs for a full
minute because of the on-rush of pas
sengers. When they did get to the
track they were unable to get to work
until power on the third rail was shut
down at 1926 o'clock. Then they ex-
tinguished the blaze in short order.
The shutdown lasted until o'clock.
All trains from Brooklyn Bridge to the
Grand Central Terminal were halted.
most of them between stations. The
cars were dark for thirty4five minutes
and all of them were crowded in the
customary rush-hour fashion.
No one was reported injured on the
train that caught fire, although it was
said many passengers were so un-
nerved by the incident that they re-
turned TO their homes in taxicabs and
surface cars instead OF continuing to
their places of business.
Fire Cause Not Determined
The exact cause of the blaze could
not be determined but the firemen be.
lieve that either a crossed Connection
in the rear of the car or defective in
sulation was responsible.
The second tie-up occurred near the
10th Street station of the Broadway
Seventh Avenue line shortly before
three o'clock yesterday afternoon.
grounded armature wire under the
motor caused blaze which filled fhe
entire train with smoke. There were
900 passengers, bound for their homes
further uptown, who were greatly
alarmed. There was no panic. for the
motorman speeded his train to the
10th Street station where the occus
pants were discharged There was 4
general stampede for the exits but ma
one was hurt.
lnterhorough operatives shut off
power on all tracks, turning it on again
at 3:lo, after all trains above Ninetv-
sixth Street had been stalled for
twenty-five minutes. The blaze waa
extinguished by the train crew before
fire apparatus arrived