The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-23
TWO FIREN N BY THICK SMOKE
Thousands On Viaduct ! tG
 Bremen In SpeCtaCuIa
 forts To Curb Flames TFCm
 Various Points Of Vantage MORRIS AVENUE FULL OF EARLY MORNING TRUCKS
Aerial Towers Pour Streams Into Structure For Hours
 And Prevent Spread And
 Save Two Lower Floors

Fire breaking out in the smoke room on the third floor of Swift x Co.,, 2109-11 Morris avenue. at 6:S0 o'clock Saturday morning. damaged the building and contents approxi- mate1y s2O0,00O in one of the most spectacular fires seen in BirminG- ham recently, in which two firemen received minor injuries, and at times threatened to consume the buildings adjoining, occupied by the Bell Rogers Produce company at 2105-07, and C. M. McMahen & Sons, 2113-1o. an the Dispatch Printing company, 2211313 Morris avenue.
 Hampered by the numerous trucks, which were receiving their regular Saturday mornings load at the num- erous produce houses situated in the block, the fire department managed to place it's first equipment soon after the first alarm was sounded. All of the drays and trucks were hurriedly moved from the scene allowing the fire department to place their water towers and high pressure streams at more strategical positions.
 After fighting the flames inces- sasantly from many points for more than two hours, it was reported that all adjoining property was out of
 
 confined to the Swift S Co.,, building The blaze was fed by the fats and other inflammable substances stored in the building. Only the two lower floors of the building were saved. These were flooded with water from the countless numbers of high pres sure streams which the department was feeding to the fire
 1 Two E'iremcn Injured.
 C. D. Crossett, fireman of Station ! No. l, was burned about the face ana ! hands and overcome from the clouds i of smoke emitted from the windows i in Ridout's ambulance where he was reported to be resting easy. His con dition was not stated as serious. It was also reported that Captain Brown of Station No. l was burned about the feet and hands.
 Owing to the location of the conl- pany's store between the two via ducts leading to the southside. soon after the fire alarm had been received by the fire department, thousands of people and automobiles congested the viaduAts and watched from their points of safety, the intrepid firemen scale the walls and force their ways Into the burning building. Heat from the building could be felt more than 150 yards away.
 Water lines were placed both on the Morris avenue and Railroad ave- nue sides of the building, and later during the morning hours two water towers were pouring their streams on the smouldering ruins of the building. The entire third and fourht floor, of the building were gutted The sausage department was located on the fourth floor of the building and the machinery and equipment are expected to be a total loss. The third floor was used for storage and contained the smoke house.
 Wagons and trucks of Swift x Co.,, had been working since o'clock making the first deliveries. and tho fire was first discovered by an em- playe who saw the flames coming from the smoke room. Alarms brought practically all of the fire fighting equipment from the depart ment, and it was said to be through the efficient work of the fire fight CTS that the flames did not result in more damage.
 After the department reached the scene, owing the insufficient man. power of the department. several l, where the large aerial water tower was brought to the fire.
 Damage About s2OO.0Oo.
 ! Damage to the machinery and other | equipment of the building could not ! be aseertained by D. w. Peace, branch mana ger of the company, but it was stated the entire damage
 would be approximately 320O, 900. ! Just how bad machinery in the base ment of the building was damaged ! was not known IS bumpers will have | to work for several hours before en- | trance can be made.
 | It was stated that approximately 1 S1O0,000 worth of food stuffs were in the building, and no guess could be made as to the amount which had been damaged As soon as the water recedes from the first floor. business will be resumed from tho building, according to MT. Peace, while storage of the meats will be taken care of elsewhere.
 MT Peace stated the building and property were owned by Swift 6 Co.,, and that the company also carried the insurance on the building, which would be sufficient to care for the damage sustained. Plans for rebuild- ing will be made by the company. he said, and no time will be lost as result the fire.
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