Evening star., 1925-10-14
Blast at 18th and B Buries
Michael O'Connor, Gas
Man, in Debris.
FIRE SWEEPS BUILDING,
BUT QUICKLY is QUELLED
Woman. Employe of Federal Taxi
Company Among Hurt in Early
Afternoon Accident.

One man was killed and man
and woman were less seriously hurt
when an explosion, believed to have
originated in the Illuminating gas line,
wrecked the second floor front of the
Federal Taxicab garage at 212 Thlr-
teenth street this afternoon.
Lying in the red-hot embers fire
men found the PROSTATE form of
Michael O'Connor, So years old, en-
ploye of the Washington Gas Light
Co. and a resident of 205 Shepherd
street, Chevy Chase, Md. He was
rushed to Emergency Hospital In the
rescue squad vehicle of the Fire De
partment, but he was so seriously
burned about the body that he died
shortly after arrival there.
Spectacular Rescue.
A spectacular rescue probably saved
the lives of three others who were in
the building at the time. Nearby
workmen threw a ladder up TO the
front window of the building before
the Fire Department arrived. In an
instant p. NJ. Kirkwood, chief book
keeper of the firm. had sent Miss
Edna B. Riddle of 1917 II street
down the ladder with A. T. Lichten-
berg, another clerk. kirkWood then
descended himself, turning, on the
ground, to see the whole front OF the
building wreathed in sheet of flame
Had the rescue been delayed until
the arrival of the Fire Department
this method of exit would have been
cut off by the flames which engulfed
the second floor, although the speed
Of the fire engines themselves was
considered remarkable.
O'Connor, accompanied by Paul
Collins, another employe of the gas
company, had been blowing out the
gas lines to get rid Of an obstruction
just three minutes when the explosion
rocked the building, Kirkwood said.
He was positive that there were two
employees Of the gas company in the
building. Only one was found
O'Connor, who later died at the hos
pital.
A thorough search of the charred
ruins by firemen failed to disclose
any trace of Collins. He had not
reported back to his foreman at the
gas company an hour after the fire,
but the idea was prevalent that he
had escaped, through some good for
tune unharmed.
Fire Marshal Seib explored the build
ing Immediately after the firemen had
to make a statement as to the cause.
The only clue as to the possible cause
of the explosion is furnished by Kirk
wood.
II was sitting at my desk" Kirk
wood said, when a terrific explosion
occurred in the northeast corner Of
this building.
Struck by Timber.
"a chunk of timber fell and hit
me on ethe head. The desk toppled
over on Mrs. Riddle one of our clerks.
I remember that the explosion hap
pened just about three minutes after
the gas company men had started to
blow out the pipes to give us more
pressure.
Exactly where the explosion hap
pened 1 can't say.
well, somebody went and got a
ladder up to this window. We couldn't
get down the stairs for the fire had
this little Office. That ladder and the
one who did the quick thinking saved
our lives, 1 believe. for when the Fire
Department got here and 1 looked at
the building all you could see was a
sheet of flames"
Two alarms We're sent in for fire
apparatus. The blaze was under con-
troll within half an hour after the ar
rival Of the Fire Department. BY an
hour and a half after the arrival Of
the fire apparatus the fire was an
nounced as out"
Difficulty was. encountered in get
ting O'Connor to the hospital. He was
brought down a ladder on stretcher.
barely breathing, and it was found i'm
possible to put the stretcher in the
patrol wagon. Then the fire rescue
squad automobile was summoned and
after much difficulty in backing into
position through the large crowd. the
man, dying. was put into 1t and taken
to the hospital.
An investigation into the exact
cause of the fire was launched by the
fire marshal this afternoon.
Estimates of the damage run above
100000 The fire destroyed many
valuable records of the company.
Mrs. Riddle, it was found at the
hospital, was cut about the hands and
body and suffered considerably from
shock. Lichtenberg, also treated at
the hospital. was burned about the
neck Kirkwood said he was not in
jured.
O'Connor, who had been employed
by the gas company 80 years, was a
complaint man and pipefitter. He is
survived by his wife and daughter.