The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-05-25
S4O0,000 PLANT OF
 WOFFORD COMPANY
 SAVED BY FIREMEN
(Continued From Page One.)

cut off a valve which led to a tank opposite from the one which had exploded.
 At the time of the explosion there was battery of 20 tanks of the same size as the one which exploded all of them were filled to capacity according to MT. Gray. Officials of the company expressed their thanks to the firemen for their wonderful work. Had the entire plant been lost. loss of $400,000 would have sustained. G. T. Wooford. president of the company stated.
 Plugs Some Distance Away.
 Owing to the fact that water plugs were situated from the plants, fire men experienced difficulty In bring ing their water lines to the fire. Equipment from stations l, 4, 8, and g, answered the call under the per sonal direction of Chief Akin. The flames were so hot, that all trucks and other equipment were ordered to be moved back and the firemen then went toward to tanks in groups of three. These men directed the water for periods of 15 minutes each, when they were relieved.
 During the height of the blaze. empty barrels were placed between the men and the flames in an effort to ward off the intense heat. and streams of water from another line were played on them. Despite the fact they were under this stream. their clothing dried within a few minutes. Other streams of water were played on other tanks in the immediate vicinity to the burning tank, in their efforts to save them.
 After fighting the fire under the most pressing conditions 1t was well
 nf ha ri e mi at 4:3O o'clock Thursday morning and at 5 o'clock only the remaining crum- pied mass of steel was witness to the catastrophe. However at g o'clock another small explosion was heard, and firemen immediately rushed to the scene and put the blaze out with chemicals. It was be- lieyed that a small amount of motor fuel had collected and exploded.
 Coroner J. D. Russum was on the scene immediately after the explosion and conducted preliminary investi- gation. It was believed the negros body had been thrown for a great roneous. when a searching party, composed of employees of the plant found his chared body at 10 o'clock.
 G. T. Wofford was so impressed with the splendid work of the firemen that he wrote Commissioner w. B. Cloe of public safety and Chief Akin that he would donate $1.000 to be used in the firemen's benefit fund. Letter to Commission.
 The letter to the commissioner was as follows:
 We are herewith enclosing check for S1,O00 for use of the Birmingham to commend the entire Birmingham fire department on the efficient work done at our plant last night in ex- tinguishing a gasoline fire.
 "The writer arrived at the plant very few minutes after the fire de- partment had arrived, and your men did not hesitate to wade right into Q very dangerous position. and but for their bravery and efficiency. we would have no plant at all this morn- ing.
 "Only because of the highest of ef- ficiency. bravery and teamwork did your men confine the fire to one tank would have. gone up in smoke 20 tanks with a loss of from S300,O to s400, 900, whereas the fire was con- fined to one tank and we estimate the loss will not exceed $15.000.
 Again expressing personally my sincere appreciation of this work. ! am sincerely. e.l
 "G. T. woFFORD. Pres..
 The total damage sustained will amount only to approximately $15.00O, which Is partially covered by insur- ance. according to company officials MT. Wofford ordered fire plug for the plant one week ago and had in tended to install modern fire pre- vention equipment, according to Chief Akin.
 The fire would not interfere with the operation of the plant. officials stated, and the tank would be re- p<eced as quickly as possible. The