The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-20
Insurance Man Declares
 Tragedy Points to Danger in
 Many Other Similar lnstltu-
 tions in the United States.
 Cause of Blaze Is Unknown RELATIVES OF VICTIMS FLOCK TO WARDS ISLE Head of Asylum Thinks Blaze Resulted From Great Blast Accompanying Dredge 0per- atlons in the East River. Army Official Denied This

NEW YORK, Feb. 19.-A day of probing-probing into the ruins, probing into the cause-followed the fire which early yesterday wrecked ward of the Manhattan State Hospital for the Insane on Wards Island, killing 23 patients and three male attendants.
 The death list was increased to 26 today through the death of Peter Pettas, a former newsboy, who died of exposure after being removed from Ward 35 to 65 dur ing the fire.
 Out of all the investigations grew expressions of belief that greater care was needed to protect mad mans isle, only two of whose 75 structures were declared by Su- perintendent Marcus B. Hyman to be fireproof.
 Coupled with the assertion of Dr. Hyman that a fire much more se- rious than that of yesterday threat ems the land at any time, came statement from the national board of fire underwriters, which, in 1920, surveyed the institution, de- claring that "the terrible holocaust serves again to emphasize the dan ger of death from fire that exists in such institutions throughout the country"
 Similar Fires Common.
 "Our records show" said W. Mall lalieu, general manager of the board, that on the average at least one hos pltal, hospital or asylum, takes fire on every day in the year with a con- sequent jeopardizing of the lives of the inmates"
 The cause of yesterdays blaze, the second mysterious fire in the building within two weeks, was studied by fir marshal, medical examiner, state ar- chitect. district attorney, deputy at torney general, army officers and other agencies.
 Dr. Hyman and his men stuck to their contention that a blast ac- comparing dredging operations In Hell Gate, just south of the island, lad been the indirect cause of tho fire. breaking the insulation on cleo tric wiring, causing 8 short circuit. The fire spread with such rapidity that it was out of hand before all the wards patients could be re- moved.
 Denies Blnst Caused Blaze.
 Brig. Gen. Edward Burr of the army engineer corps that Is direct ing the blasting operations, after a separate investigation, denied wig crously the theory that shock was responsible for the fire.
 Great crowds of friends and rela- tivea gathered early today. They were either desirous of seeing the dead to establish identification, or of inquiring concerning the living whose names they feared might not have been included in the casualty lists.
 Officials treasured the relatives of the living. but barred them from the islands. Friends of the dead were referred to the Bellevue hospital whither the bodies so far recovered have been removed.
 Identification proved 8 slow pro- cess so terribly had the bodies been burned and the hospital authorities socn gave up hope of finding the missing five, believing they had been cremated.
 Seeks Brother.
 Among those who called at the morgue was Charles Francis Powell of Atlanta. Ca. He said he was looking for his brother. Charles How ard Powell, also of Atlanta. Powell said that while the name of his brother was not listed as an inmate, he might have been there under an assumed name.
 He explained that his brother had been In the habit of adopting various aliases ever since he was struck on the head with the butt of rifle in a quarrel with another soldier while serving on the Mexican border in 1916. His father, Powell said, in the past l5 months had spent $5,000 searching for the missing son.
 Louis Pitcher, state architect. who was quoted yesterday by pr. Heyman as expressing surprise that more patients had not perished becapse of the age and condition of the building, said today that the building was not a fire trap.
 MT. Pitcher said that one of the main reasons for the great ldss of life was the collapse of a two and one-half ton tank which cut off all exits from the section of the build ing in which the fire ragged.