New Britain herald., 1925-10-26
NUNS FLEE Flames
AS Convent BURNS
Third Mysterious Fire in Week
Occurs at st. Joseph's
PROPERTY DAMAGE $4,000
Firemen Force Way Through
Flames In Heroic Manncr-Curatt
Warns Sisters to Leave - $500
Loss At Main Street Blaze.
PROPERTY DAMAGE $4,000

Chief William J. Noble and the
police scout any theory Of incendar-
ism In the blaze that caused about
$4,000 damage to st. Joseph's con-
vent on South Main street last night.
Chief Noble. with Sergeant Patrick
]. O'Mara and Rev. John +. Dono-
hue conducted a preliminary investi-
cation last night and found nothing
to indicate that the fire was Of in
cendiary origin, but another inspec-
ton will be made this afternoon In
an effort to determine definitely
what started the fire.
! When the fire department arrived
| In answer to an alarm from Box 20,
they found the top of the building
mass of flames, the high wind
tanning the blaze and sending the
flames leaping into the air. Ladded
Co. was the first company to reach
the fire and the company holsted
their ladders right up into the heart
Of the flames. People present at
the time were Mortified when the
fremen mounted the ladders, for the
wind was blowing the flames di-
rectly at them as they ascended
The firemen were not daunted, and
continued upward, placing roof lad
ders on the building and making II
possible for the engine companies to
get lines Of hose turned directly
onto the source Of the blaze.
General Alarm Rung In
When Chief Noble arrived, it
looked as though the entire build
ing was doomed and the high wind
endangered nearby property, so he
ordered a general alarm sent in. In
tho meantime another alarm had
been sent in by Traffic Policeman
Joseph Kennedy from Box 234, al
the corner Of South Main and Whit
ing streets.
The firemen went at their work
with q reckless abandon and it was
only a short time before the flames
were reduced to a smouldering mass
making it possible for the firemen Il
enter the building and fight thu
blaze from the inside. The entire
top floor on the south side was de
moshied by the fire which ate 1t
way through the bedrooms on tn
north side. In several places th
flames succeeded In spreading down
cI 10 I,a cannnI nnnr nf thI
building. but the damage in tn
lower part was practically conf1nc'
to water. The water damage va
very heavy.
Electric Wires Not to Blame
Electrical Inspector Cyril j. Cur
tin and Building Commissioner 10
seph C. Barry Investigated the fir
this morning, and after a thoroug
examination OF the electric wiring
= reported that the electric wires Wel
in no way responsible for the fire
= This report makes the origin Of tn
r blaze all the more mysterious. Chic
I Noble does not believe that spor
r taneous combustion could hav
| started the fire. There were n
, steam pipes near the source of til
:. blaze. 1t was thought at first tbs
electric wiring installed last Jun
$ might have been responsible,
Third Fire In Week
2 The nuns at the convent hay
f been in a state of excitement ft
= hueveral days as the result of the tW
n fires that were discovered in the cc
< lar of the convent last week and f
d which no satisfactory cause could /
found, and when Rev. Micha
It Heating, curate at the church. NJ
II tilted them as they were eating the
n supper last night that the place vi
e on fire. the youngest sister station'
/. there tainted, and had to be carrie
CONTINUED on Page Four)