New Britain herald., 1926-01-08
EPIDEMIC OF FIRES
 OCCURS IN BRISTOL
S5,000 Loss at Oak Street Home
 Today
GENERAL ALARM LAST NIGHT
Forestvillc Sewer System Up For Discussion Tonight - Salvation Army Head Trnnsferred-Visiting Nurse Association Elects.

Nurse Association Elects.
 With four fires inside of 24 hours, two of which were of ajor import ance, the Bristol fire department has had the liveliest time in over a year.
 The home of Fred Horton at 22 Oak street was gutted by fire this morning with an estimated loss of over 5000 and an old house in the rear of the Bristol House hotel which was used as a storage ware house, 8 lumber pile back of the Standard oil station on the Boule- ward and a chimney fire on Cawley court, yesterday have kept the fire men and apparatus on the go.
 Fire starting from an overloaded kitchen stove at the Horton home, drove three families into the open at 7 o'clock. It was shortly before z o'clock when Mrs. Horton went to her kitchen and found the kitchen stove red hot and the stove pipe in such a heated condition that 1t had set fire 10 the partition. When the firemen arrived, they found the fire eating its way through practically all of the partitions of the house and bursting it's way out of the attic.
 The contents of the chemical tanks of the various fire apparatus were immediately emptied into the partl- lions, but this failed to eNtinguiSh the blaze. Several streams of water were immediately laid with the re- suit that the house was drowned out The fire was the meanest one that has been encountered by the Bristol fire department in some time, due to the fact that double floors hindcred them from getting into the ceiling partitions.
 The interior of the attic was burn cd out and section of the roof was burned away, as well as the parti- tions on the lower floors. The water soaked the building so that all of the plaster will have to be removed. A considerable amount of the furni- trre was carried to the yard. The cold weather this morning caused the water to freeze as soon as it was thrown onto the building and tho tiremen were coated with ice in their work.
 The Wallace Barnes Co.,, whose plant adjoins the Horton property, sent a large force of men to assist the fire department, The house was occupied by the families of MT. Hor- ton, George Landers and MT. Hor- tons daughter. It is located in a thickly settled section of the city and had it gained headway, it is likely that several other buildings would have been destroyed. The burned house is only about 300 feet away from the new Bristol High school.
 The first general alarm 10 be sounded In this city in a year and 2 half was rung in last night when an old house in the rear of the Bristol House on South street, used as storehouse, was destroyed by fire. It was at 11;15 last night when a pass crby noticed the building in flames and sounded a box alarm. When the firemen arrived, 1t was evident that they were going to have q diff ticult time in preventing a general Contlagration, with the result that general alarm was sounded calling out all fire apparatus in the city and the volunteer tiremen.
 The building is practically a total loss, as was q large Graham motor truck belonging to Rocco Segretto and operated under the business name of RoCco's express. Bar room fixtures removed from the Bristol House after the advent of prohibi- tion and other old hotel supplies were stored on the second floor and were damaged somewhat.
 The building adioins several large wooden buildings including the large stables of Dr. E. E. Robbins, tho factory building of II. J. Hills, Inc. and Stcve's garage, An explo- sion of the gasoline tank on the au- tomobile truck spread the fire through the building.
 A small two-car garage, whero D. A. Peters. owner of the burned building, kept his private automo- piles, adjoined the storehousc build ing and caught fire. The fircmcn saved this garage and its contents although one side and the roof werc burned.
 The damage is estimated 10 he in the neighhorhood of $5,000. Tho burned truck was covered hy insur- ance but 1t is understood that inc burned building had no insurance on it,
 The fire was the most spectacular in this city in some time and ilum- mated the sky for miles around, A large crowd of spectators was also brought out by the sounding of the