Evening star., 1925-10-12
FIRE IN D. c. JAIL
IS SOON CONF F|NED
Valuable Records Threatened
Before Blaze Is Checked.
Prisoners Excited.

= Valuable records containing data
about some of Washingtons notorious
criminals, stored on the top floor of
the District Jail, We're threatened
with destruction today when fire
burned its way through the roof of
the administration building of the in
Stitution.
The fire broke out in a lavatory ad-
joining the record room shortly be-
fore noon and spread rapidly to the
roof, where it was confined by fire.
men. Dense clouds of smoke rolled
through the corridors and caused
great excitement among the 400 pris-
oners incarcerated in cells in the
east, south and west wings of the
Jail.
Fearing trouble among the inmates,
the police department rushed several
scores of reserves from virtually
after the fire was discovered. A
Gordon was thrown about the build
ing.
Two alarms We're turned in, bring
ing out six engines, two truck COM
panieS and three battalion chiefs. The
quick work of the firemen soon got the
blaze under control and confined it to
the fourth floor, on which is located
the dormitorieS used by hospital in
L,
however, seeped throughout virtually
every room in the administration build
ing and formed small pools in the
superintendent office on the ground
floor.
Efficient work of the Fire Depart
ment and the tireproof structure of
the Jail prevented the flames from
spreading, and the entire damage. ac-
cording to Maj. w. L. Peake, superin-
tendent of the Jail, Will not exceed
$4,000. The roof over the administra-
ton building and a wooden partition
separating the stock and record rooms
We're the only parts of the building
burned. Water did considerable dam
age TO the surplus stock of blankets
and other supplies in the storeroom
and soaked a number of the records.
stored away on wooden shelves.
Although the origin of the blaze is
unknown, employees of the Jail believe
that it started in a pile of trash in the
lavatory by a cigarette or lighted
match carelessly dropped there by
some one in the building.
Two Gallinger Hospital internes
were asleep in a dormitory adjoining
the blazing rooms when they were
awakened by Jail TRUSTEES and We're
greeted by dense volumes of smoke
circling the room. AS soon as the fire
was discovered the large iron gate
which forms a barrier between the ad-
ministration building and the other
wings Of the Jail where the prisoners
are housed was closed on orders Of
Supt. Peake.
Fire Confined to Roof.
The fire was confined entirely to the
roof of the administration building fac
ing the west, and, except for the smoke,
caused no discomfortS to the inmates
of the jail. Officials of the institution
made no effort to remove them from
their cells, pointing out that all of the
buildings were stone structures and
absolutely fireproof and there was no
danger of the blaze spreading to the
wings in which the prisoners are
housed
Maj. Peake pointed out that the fire
occurred in the only inflammable por-
tion of the jail. and there was little
danger of a serious blaze at the in
StitutiOn.
The fire was discovered by a Jail
trusty. Maj. Peake turned in the
alarm that called out the fire appara-
tus. Meantime Jail employees grabbed
every available fire extinguisher and
fought valorously to hold the flames
in check.
Records Water Soaked.
Some of the records soaked by the
water, according to Jail officials, dated
back as far as 1865. These records
were stored on wooden shelves, them
selves highly inf1ammable.
Tons of water poured on the fire
seeped through all the floors in the
administration building and flooded
the ground floor.
A large crowd of residents of North
east and Southeast Washington, at
tracted by the clouds of smoke that
rose from the roof of the burning
building, gathered about the jail
grounds and watched the tiremen.