Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-02-16
FIREMAN OVERCOME
BY SMOKE AND GAS
IS NOW PARALYzED
Thomas Mckelvie and w. T.
Lewis, Jr.. Rescued From
Market House Blaze.
MANY FlREMEN AFFECTED

Two flromen overcome. both Of them
row I'm serious condition. and practical
~ every man In the building affected
by the dense smoke, gas and slcken-
ms fumes from burning fruit puts n
serious aspect on the Are early this
morning in the basement OF the market
house at Third and King streets. In
the banana ripening section occupied
by J. NJ F1orentln. This Is the first
blaze since the creation of the new
raid flre department that any of the
members have suffered serious injury
In the performance or their duties. One
of the mon overcome is afflicted with n
peculiar form OF paralysis believed TO
be due 20 his having inhaled the smoke
from burning bananas and gas from
leaking pipes However. no fears are
vet entertained for the Ultimate re-
ccNery of both OF the men Nho were
the more seriously affected
w. r. Lewis. Jr.. member OF En-
ne Company No. and Thomas Nc
kelvie, member OF Engine Company
No. .. but temporarily dolns duty with
Engine Company No. Z, are the, men
who suffered the most serious effects.
Ecth OF them were In the cellar OF the
market house handling hose line
when they were overcome. They were
shroudsd IN the dense smoke clouds.
ga. and fumes from the tharuing sfruj,
and when some OF their companions
stumbled forward TO lend n hand they
found both men on the floor uncon-
sclous
They were carried out into the open
afr and then removed 10 Engine House
No. :. Later they were taken to their
homes and physicians called TO attend
them. Both ARE confined to their beds
but Lewis was reported this morning
10 be somewhat better. McKelvie how
ever Is worse OF for ne was said to be
unable 20 move a muscle in his body
and 20 be suffering from a form OF
paralysis. The fumes he Inhaled are
thought TO have brought on this con-
dition.
Every man at the fire. from Chief
tsutz down 20 the last hoseman. suf-
fered intensely from headache after
they had been in the building but
a short time and this morning they
complained that the ailment had not
left them even then. This is thought
20 have been due 20 the gas that fn-
ed tho building while they were in
there and before the open pipes could
be reached so the flow could be shut
OF. However. none Of the other men
were as seriously affected as Lewis
and McKelvey.
This was the first time n cellar pipe
was used in this city in all the his
tory of fire. fighting. Two OF these
modern appliances were brought into
play at the blaze this morning and
they did effective work. Holes were
cut In the floor above the burning
room I'm the basement and the pipes
let down and then the water was turn
ed on. They We're directed from above
and the deluge quickly flooded out
the FIRE.
IL was also the first time of the
many fires that have occurred I'm the
market house that no second alarm
was turned in. Chief Lutz who was
on the scene early was confident his
men could handle the blaze. He had
Engine Companies Nos. 2. 4 and 7. and
Truck Company No. under his COM
mand and the firemen did excellent
work. They had five streams in SER
vice with $50 feet OF hose laid out. The
three engines pumped 10000 gallons
CT water into tho burning building be-
fore the fire was extinguished. One
OF the engines pumped more than
$4,000 gallons OF water.
The details of the fire will be found
on another page Of Every Evening.