The New York herald., 1922-06-16
FIRE RUINS ARVERNE,
HUNDREDS HOMELESS,
DAMAGE $5,0OO,O0O
Destroys Cottages in Five
Square Blocks-Soldiers
Prevent Vandalism.
MANY FIREMEN HURT
Engines and Policemen Are
Sent From All Parts Of
City to 7 Alarm Blaze.
MAKE DARING RESCUES
Orphans Routed Out of Their
Asylum-Blind Man Prob
ably Only Fatality.
MAKE DARING RESCUES

Several hundred buildings at Ar
verne, in the Rockaways, including
two story dwellings. hotels
and boarding houses. were destroyed
last night by a fire that for fve
hours swept over an area Of five
blocks square, from Beach Fifty
seventh street to Beach Sixty-second
street, and from the ocean to the bay.
It was impossible early this morn
ing for the Fire Department to de-
ternine exactly how many buildings
had been destroyed, but conservative
estimates range from 200 to 6oo.N The
damage was estimated at $5,ooo.oo0.
At 4 A. M. the ruins were still
smolderirg. and firemen were still
working on the outskirts Of the burned
area. making the surrounding dis
tricts safe and preventing stray en-
bers from spreading to other property
So far as the police could learn early
this morning, no one was killed. al
though 1t was reported that blind
man was missing. He lived at 1Zs
Beach Fifty-flintt, street. His house
was blazing from top to bottom when
the police heard OF him. and Patrol
man James Donohue plunged into the
burning house. The smoke and flames
prevented him from making thorough
search of the building.
soldiers Prevent Vandalism.
Soldiers of the Ninth Coast Defense
command were patrolling the place IN
company with city patrolmen. The sol
diers said that they had orders to shoot
any person caught looting the ruins.
They were put on guard about $50
o'clock. going from Rockaway Beach In
automobiles when Fire Chief Joseph
Martin said that the flames were under
control.
Thirty fremen were overcome with
smoke and gas while fighting the fire.
which was said by department officials
70 be the most serious in the history OF
Long Island. Six fremen, patrolman
md a civilian were burned while MAX
ing rescues or helping the flrennen. but
all of them excepting Nicholas Cullen Of
Cedarhurst were able to return to duty
after they had been treated by nmbu-
lance surgeons.
The others hurt were Firemen Frank
Baker OF Engine Company 267. Harry
Kersin OF the Cedarhurst company, Ed
ward Ayres OF the Arverne company,
Joseph Ehleris Of the Jamaica company
and A. Grady of Engine Company 65,
Patrolman Louis Schoenfeld OF the
Twenty-frst precinct and Jack White or
163 Beach Sixty-ffth street. Arverne
One of the structures burned was the
Israel Orphan Asylum in Beach Six
tieth street, three story frame struc-
t,ire housing 1874 orphan children. These
children were in great danger. as they
knew nothing until the flames had swept
down almost on them. but policemen
and volunteers rushed into the building
and carried them Into the street Then
they were taken TO the Arverne public
school and later to the Princes Hotel
for the night.
For the first time In the history of
the New York Fire Department ap-
went from Manhattan into
south Queens. This was after seven
alarms had been turned In, calling all
available apparatus from throughout
the city.
Relief From other Boroughs.
Acting Chief Smoky Joe" Martin
took personal charge OF fghting the
and sent four freboats out from
the bay TO fght from the water side.
The presence of these boats probably
prevented considerable damage being
done to the boats anchored off Arverne.
as at one point the fire crcpt down the
beach and ignited a barge.
From Manhattan Chief Martin sent
to Arverne seven engines, from cornpa-
MES Nos. Z. 13. 1s. 5, 26. 80 and 66. In
addition to several hook and ladder
trucks. Every available policeman in
Queens was ordered to emergency duty