Daily Kennebec journal., 1924-04-19
Ten KILLED, SEVERAL DYING
. IN CHICAGO FACTORY BLAZE
Four Story Stone
! Bull ding Collapses
!. with Scores Firemen
Battling Flames =
Nine Firemen and
Civilian known to Be
Dead - Fear Other
Bodies in Ruins

Chicago, April 1S.-Nine firemen and
m unidentified civilian are known to
have been killed, several others are
injured so badly they may die and a
dozen fremen and spectators suffered
minor hurts when a four-story stone
building housing West Side box fac
tory collapsed tonight while scores of
1rement were battling the flames.
The ruins are being searched for
other bodies, and Fire Chief Buckley,
who made the announcement that 10
are dead, said that several other bod
les possibly may be found in the ruins.
Hook and ladder truck company num-
ber Il. composed Of five men. the first
to respond to the alarm, was reported
to have been entirely wiped out by the
accident.
Firemen first to arrive on the scene
found the entire upper story of the
brick structure in flames and calls were
sent In for more apparatus. The fire.
men mounted to the third floor in an
effort TO confine tho flames to the floor
above them. AS the roof started to
buckle, firemcn were ordered from the
blazing building. Some of them step
ped to the roof Of building adjoin-
ing but about dozen attempted to es-
cape by way of a fire escape.
Some OF these flremen were dropped
into the blazing building when the roof
suddenly collapsed. carrying two floors
with 1t, this being followed by an ex-
plosion which sent the front wall
crashing to the ground. Some Of the
nremon were thrown clear of the fire
by tho force of the explosion. Others
pitched headlong into the flames.
A water town sent up in front OF
the burning building was demolished
by falling stone and brick and firenen
manning this instrument and specta-
tors who had crowded through the po-
lice lines were buried under tho debris,
several being hurt although it is not
believed any were killed by the COL
lapse of the tower.
While doctors, ambulances and po-
flee reserves rushed to the scene. the
fremen bent their efforts to rescuing
those plunged into the great seething
!. pit. Fighting the flames was forgot
ten for the moment while firemen, po-
llcemen and spectators crowded as close
as they could to the building. Calls
we're sent for powerful searchlights
and h0lStlnR ueVlceS 10 alu III NahiHs
the debris.
Two fremen were rescued alive from
the building, while the Rev. p. A.
Jones of the Holy Family church dom
ned a fire helmet and plunged into the
building In an effort to give spiritual
consolation to those imprisoned. One
fireman pinned under a mass Of stone
directed the breaking to pieces OF the
mass and was finally freed before the
flames reached him.
Firemen, who were unable to deter
mine the cause Of the fire. declared
that frequent gas explosions interrupt
ed the work of rescue. the gas escap-
ing from mains entering the building.
More than dozen firemen rendered un-
conscious by the explosion were res
cued by their companions.
The list Of firemen known to have
perished follows:
Captain John Brennan. Lieutenant
Frank Trosh, Jerry Callaghan. Thomas
Kelley. James Carroll. Samuel T. War
rem, Michael Devine. Frank Leavy, Ed
ward Kerstlng, and an unidentified ci-
william.