The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-04-10
PACKARD. Cd.
PLANT BURNS;
.L0SS$330,000
Fire Originating in VuIcaniz-
ing Plant Destroys Nearly
100 Cars in Southside
Garage-Three Men
Are Injured

Fire of unknown cause originating
in the vulcanizing room about 4
o'clock Monday afternoon swept tho
building of the Packard Birming-
ham Motors company, Twenty-secord
street and Magnolia avenue, in /,
three employees and two firemer ~
stroying about 100 automobiles !:
large stock of repair pc
equipment and causing to =
ages which will approxir o9S o.
900. according to un es-
Inmates OF company of a. Off
ces and salesrooms Of npany
which were protect Concrete
fireproof walls, - aged by
smoke and water. shop and
garage were destroy ed.
Allen ". Spearman. bookkeeper.
was severely burned about the arms.
face and upper part OF the body
when the gas tank of an automobile
being brought out of the building
by j. W. Mercer exploded and threw
burning gasoline on him. He was
taken to st. Vincent's hospital, IL.
NJ. Dunwody. bookkeeper. and Val
Freeman. statesmen, were slightly
burned.
Flames Spread Rapidly.
The flames spread with lightning
rapidity. Work of moving automo
biles to the street had scarcely be-
gun when a cars gas tank ignited
and flung gasoline over the three
men. They escaped through a rear
indow. Tho explosion occurred
when an automobile being driven
out by Spearman damned against
the wall at the Magnolia avenue
exit blocking it. Before the auto
mobile could be moved the gasoline
flinging gasoline in all directions:
Explosions of other tanks followed
in rapid succession
Soon after the arrival Of the fire
department the roof of the build
ing and 25-foot section OF wall on
the Twenty-second street side COZ
iapsed, Ringing debris in ali direc-
tons
Nearly 100 Cars Burned
About 100 cars were destroyed
with the exception of about seven
or eight driven out by employees be-
fore Spearman's car damned the
exist, officials said. About 20 ears
We're property of customers, It was
stated. and were in the shop for
automobiles was estimated at about
S225.000 by officials. About $4,000
of this amount was estimated to
cover automobiles of customers.
d. Il. Harris. fireman from No. 3
station, was overcome by smoke
while fighting the fire IN the nui 10 :
ing and was taken to Norwood IN.
Urinary, where his injuries were SAID
to be not serious. j. L.. Lee. also
fireman from Station 8. was taken
to Norwood infirmary to receive
treatment for cinders flung In both
eyes.
The fire department was greatly
hampered by swarms of curious au-
toists. When the second alarm was
turned in, traffic on the way to the
fire was so dense as to make 1T I'M.
possible to proceed with any speed
Chief ]. H. Akin stated. Rushing to
the fire. Chief Akin collided with an
automobile owned by Roderick Bed
dow and driven by a negro chauf-
feur, near the scene.
o o O
Residence Scorched.
Residence of Mrs. r. M. Cunning
ham. 1916 Sycamore street, adjoining
the Packard building, was somewhat
scorched. Several windows were
broken by the heat. The garage of
Mrs. Cunningham was burned across
the front and an automobile INSIDE
badly damaged. Residences on Eula
street were damaged signify.
Damages to the building, owned by
Ike Adler. were estimated roughly at
SOS, 900. loss of about 100000 was
sustained by the destruction of
large supply of parts and equipment
Damages to automobiles were esti-
mated at about S225.000.
0 O o
Partially Insured.
Loss to the Packard company was
partially covered by insurance, &C
cording to statements of officials,
who said that about so or so per cent
of the loss would be covered. All
new cars were protected. 1t was
stated. and used cars and parts were
partially covered. A number of new
cars and trucks were burned.
According to J. Mercer Barnett,
president, they VIII rebuild in a
short time. Temporary headquar-
ters will be In the office. The COM
pany also has a used car department
on Twentieth street.
Firemen from Stations !. 2, 3. 4
and answered the call. Seven units
of equipment were brought into play,
three hose wagons, one combination
wagon. one truck and two bumpers,
1T was stated.