The New York herald., 1922-01-07
THREE ALARM FIRE
STIRS HOTEL GUESTS
Building Ablaze Between
the McAlpin and the
Waldorf.
LOSS PUT AT $4,000
400 Patrons Routed From
Childs Restaurant in
33d Street.
TWO FIREMEN INJURED
Conflagration Lasting an
Hour Attracts Broadway
and Avenue Crowds.
TWO FIREMEN INJURED

The lobby and many of the rooms
and corridors of the upper floors of
Che Hotel McAlpin were filed with
smoke last night about o'clock from
a fire that destroyed the three upper
stories of the six story loft building
in 35-37-39 West Thirty third street,
six doors from the Thirty-third street
entrance of the hotel.
The McAlpin telephone operators
stayed any fear by calling every room
and telling the occupants that there
was a fire in the neighborhood but
that the hotel was in no danger. Many
guests, however, particularly from
looms where they could smell the
the apparatus. came down to the
lobby.
The fire was one of the most spectacu-
lar that the Broadway district has seen
In many months. The flames burst
through The roof and the windows oe
the three upper floors of the burning
building, sending out huge columns of
smoke and lighting up the neighborhood
for several blocks. The wind. blowing
from the direction of the Waldorf
into that hotel. but blew it into the
windows and transoms of the McAlpin
before they could be closed. The crowd
that came from Broadway and Fifth
avenue to watch the fire became so large
after a few moments that the reserves
of the West Thirtieth street station were
called out.
One of the largest OF the Chlds restau-
rants is on the ground floor of the build
ing which was burned, with an annex
next door in IL. Several hundred per-
sons eating there had TO rush into the
street to escape the dense soke that
filtered down the stairs and came IN
from the street as we'll as the streams
Of water that poured into the restaurant
from the fire hose. Many customers
also left the Riggs restaurant. a few
doors away. but several remained there
and finished their dinners. This restau
rant was not damaged.
Two Firemen Injured.
Three alarms were turned i'm because
OF. tne Tdl'iu neduWdy tnc uTc Indut, duN
two firemen were injured during the
hour that was required to get the lanes
under control. Fireman William j.
Newton of Engine Company 10 was hose
man on the fifth floor and was struck
by beam He fell unconscious to tne
floor and was carried to the fire escaue
by Capt. William G. Rankin of Engine
Company 33. He was carried down :aI
ders to the street and sent to the New
York Hospital by DIR. Sutton. He suf-
fered of the smoke and Is believed also
10 have received internal injuries FROM
the blow Half an hour later Fireman
John f. O'Connell Of Engine Company y
was struck on the head by n piece of
metal ceiling and cut, but was able to
return to duty after DR.. Harry Archer
had treated him.
Battalion Chief Ross and fifteen fire.
men twice had narrow escapes from be-
ing overcome by smoke on the third
floor stairs. An unusual curve in the
stairs there formed "a pocket for the
smoke from the upper floors. Chief Ross
got his men out both times to prevent
many Of them from being seriously hurt.
AS it was they had to hasten into the
street and the fresh air, where II wa
some moments before they were able to
return TO the fight. Most of the figh
against the flames was conducted from
the rear fire escapes. as the flames were
burning SO briskly that 1t was not pos
sible for the flremen to make their way
Up the stairs.
Ladder Catches Fire.
The fire burned so fiercely that sew
eral times firemen on ladders and on thu
fire escapes were in danger from jets of
flame that br-rt from the windows and
doors. Once a .ong extension ladder, on
which We're perched half n dozen fire
men, caught fire. but II was seen by
Robert RI. Manser. Honorary Battalioi
Chief, and hastily withdrawn. Then the
water tower was put up and II was only
q short time afterward that the fire
was under control 1t ragged almost un
checked however from o'clock to s rs
The second floor OF the burned build
Ing was occupied by the Peerless
Sweater Company, the third. fourth an,
fifth floors by the cloak and suit manu-.
featuring company of I. Pollock e. Co.,
and the sixth by the Eureka Drug Com
pany. Chief Kenlon estimated a total
loss of about $4,000.