The New York herald., 1922-06-24
MYSTERIOUS FIRES
ALARM BRONX FOLK
Seven Small Blazes Found
Within Few Days in Tene-
ment District.
GARAGE DAMAGED $4,000
Four Fircmen Overcome, One
in Manhattan and Three in
Brooklyn Factory.
GARAGE DAMAGED $4,000

Police and fire officials last night be-
gan an investigation Of series Of
mysterious fires that have bean dis
covered during the last few weeks in
tenements in the vicinity Of Brook ave-
nue. and Hath and 145th streets, The
Bronx. Three OF the fires started early
last night and were discovered within
a few minutes of one another.
The first began In a baby carriage
which George Slinkert had stored
under the stairway in the main hallway
Of the tenement at 4S0 East 146th street.
Somebody cried "Fire!" and Slinkert put
out the blaze without the assistance Of
the firemen.
While he was attacking the flames
fire apparatus whizzed past the door on
its way to a tenement around the
corner at 415 Brook avenue. where q
similar fire had been discovered.
This fire was In q baby carriage
which Morris Wachtel had stored under
the stairway It was soon extinguished
and the firemen had departed except the
chief and the insurance patrol when
smoke was seen issuing from the base
ment Of a tenement next door. at 413
Brook avenue. Tho patrol went to the
basement with hand extinguishers and
found a pile Of rubbish ablaze at a
point directly underneath tho delicates-
sen store of A. Belsky. on the first
floor Of the building.
Fires Now Total seven.
Last nights fires made tho total
seven In the neighborhood. On last
Sunday a pile OF rubbish was found
burning in the rear of the produce
store of B. Shandler. which Is on the
ground floor Of tenement at 421 Brook
avenue. Anton Silinka. tho janitor.
said that a similar blaze had been dis
covered In the same place on tho prcvi-
GUS Sunday. Another fire started
among rubbish In the basement of this
building. and last Saturday a fire was
discovered In a baby carriage under
stairway In the tenement at 419 Brook
avenue r
The frequency Of tho fires and their
similarity have alarmed tenants living
In the thickly populated district and
they share the theory OF tho police and
fire officials that they might have been
kindled by an incendiary. Tho inves-
LEGATIONS are being conducted by Her
man De Malignon. Deputy Fire Mar
shall. and detectives OF the Alexander
avenue station.
While fighting fins In the Mineola
Garage. at Fifty-ninth street and Park
avenue, yesterday John Maarshall. 81,
Of 465 East 136th street. a fireman at
tached to Engine 6. was overcome by
fumes from a gasoline tank. He was
treated at the Flower Hospital and went
home. The damage was estimated at
5000.
Bad Firo I'm Brooklyn.
Three firemen were overcome last
night while fighting fire In the three
story brick building. 20 and 81 South
Eleventh street. Brooklyn. which CAUSED
about $4,000 to 100000 damage.
Ths firemen injured, were William
Semendinger. Arthur Van Der Linn and
Thomas Meyerdrossio. all Of Engine 211.
Several other firemen were more or less
incapacitated by the thick smoke. but
they kept at work.
There was no ambulance at the fire,
and the work Of looking after the fire
men who were overcome devolved upon
Commissioner brennan. his deputy.
William F. Thompson. and the Rev.
Henry Randell. fire chaplain. who
reached the fire soon after the second
alarm was turned In. Semendinger later
was sent to Williamsburg Hospital.
The fire began on the second floor.
occupied by Edward Todd 4 Co.. foun-
tain pens and pencils. The Sweet Food
Manufacturing Company occupied the
first floor.
The interior Of the building was de-
stroyed. ,r,