Evening star., 1924-08-02
B0YFALLS|NHOLD
OF BLAZING SHIP
Alexandria Fire Fighter, He.
roicaIly Rescued, Likely
to Die.
RESCUE is HEROIC
One Vessel Destroyed, Three Badly
Damaged-Torch of Work
man Blamed.
By q Staf Correspondent.

ALEXANDRIA, Va, August p
George w. Whalen, II years old,
youngest member of the Alexandra
Fire Department. was probably fatal
ly injured and a dozen ether sffre-
men were overcome by smoke early
today when flames swept three vet
eran cargo carriers of the worid
War at the docks of the Western
Marine and Salvage Co. here.
Fourteen vessels, all wooden ships
doomed to be cut up and sold tor
junk. were threatened by the blaze
for several hours. but the quick
work on the part of the local rre
department, the Washington tug
Firefghter and a score of volunteer
river men confined the flames to the
three vessels. one of which was vir-
tually destroyed and the others
badly damaged.
Fell Through Hatch.
Whalen was in charge of a pipe
line and had been stationed on the
bridge of the Dell Brook, where the
fire started and was most severe
Stumbling over a section of the hose
he pitched 100 feet, head first, through
an open hatch into the seething hold
of the ship and lay unconscious on
the floor of the engine deck In danger
of being cremated before help could
reach him.
A dozen volunteer rescuers quickly
rugged up ropes. slid down into the
nj ho no
minent risk to their own lives and
carried Whalen as far from the lick
ing flames as possible. Every COM
panionway, however, was a tran Of
fire and the only way the rescuers
could get their dying comrade to
safety was to rig up an impromptu
stretcher of boards and rope.
Hauled Through Smoke,
On this Whalen was carefully
hauled through dense clouds of smoke
to the upper deck and rushed to the
Alexandria Hospital. There physi-
clans found that his back had been
broken and his skull fractured, in
addition to minor injuries Hope for
his life was virtually abandoned and
fear was expressed at the hospital
that he would not live through the
day. Two years ago his father, will
liam ]. Whalen, was drowned in the
Potomac River
Charles Whalen, a brother, is
member of No. 1 Engine Company,
in which the boy was serving. and as
sisted in the rescue. Members Of the
family said George had joined the
company only recently. having been
prompted by a desire to attend the
Virginia State Firemen's convention
in Harrisonburg three weeks hence
His mother, Mrs. Lima whalen, lives
here at 11s South Royal street.
Fire Laid to Torch.
The cause OF the fire is laid to care
less use Of an acetylene torch with
which workmen were cutting up
equipment in the engine room Of the
Dell Brook Hot metal il believed to
have found its way to woodwork and
smouldered after all hands had quit
yesterday afternoon. The FIRE was
discovered shortly after o'clock this
morning, and before the firemen could
get into action the Dell Brook was a
seething furnace.
The flames quickly spread to the
Brookwood and Horado, tied along
side. When Olaf Anderson, general
superintendent OF the, yard, arrived
he ordered the latter vessels cut loose.
Fortunately the tide was coming in
and they slowly drffted up to the next
dock, where lines were made fast.
The fire on them was easily extin-
guished, not having had time to eat
its way below decks.
In tho meantime, the District Fire.