New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-06-02
NO CRIMINAL ACT
lin BERNARDO DEATH
Continued from First Paee)

l.
AS soon as they arrived near the al
leyway of the Strand theater a ire
mendouS rumble was heard from the
roof of the Strand theater. sudden
ly the tin root of the sentilator had
been blown off by the wind, and
crashed to the alleyway, where Mr..
Burkarth was standing. Mr.. Ber-
nardo was struck by this tin roof,
and received many wounds and
bruises about the head, mouth and
body. He remained unconscious
after the occurrence, and died the
following morning, April 10th, 1898
at about $50, at the New Britain
General hospital
ION April .lst, 1eeS. your at
torney detailed Detective Sergeant
William =. McCue, to cause an in
vestigation Of the failure. Accord
ingly Sergeant McCue detailed Act
ing Detective Sergeant Patrick j.
OMara to the Strand theater. Your
attorney accompanied him, ana
when We arrived there We found Mr.,
Arthur Rutherford. the building in
spector. After making a careful
investigation OF the conditions of
the ventilator OF the roof on the
Strand theater We found the venti-
lator house was constructed by
angle irons and sheet metal, and
that the roof of the ventilator had
been blown off. The size Of the
ventilator house is 20 feet six inches
by Is feet six inches, which had
six doors on the west side and six
doors on the east, and three doors
on the north side. The south end
was constructed of brick.
"Mr. Rutherford informed your
attorney that he had taken pictures
of the ventilator and also had the
blue prints, which at my request
stated that he would make re-
port.
MIR. Rutherford informed your
attorney that after the failure OF
the night OF April 10. ICES, that
he assembled 10 the root OF the
Strand theater. and that by reason
OF the terrific gale Of wind, which
blew from the northwest, that he
had TO proceed with great care and
caution to the scene of the failure.
OF which was the opinion of Mr.
Rutherford and Sergeant O'Mara
that the angle irons of the Nentila-
tor house were not heavy enough
10 stand the pressure of the wind.
The permit under which the
building was erected was issued
from the Office OF the building in
spector, October Z. 1925. The build
ing was designed by +. c. Horn
Sons, architects, OF New York city
James Kelly OF New Haven IA wide
ly known theater builder, super
vised the work for Hoffman Broth
ers. Contaras Brothers and perokas
the owners. 1t was completed and
occupied in October, 1926.
AT my request Mr.. Rutherford
submitted on April /, 1925, a report
Of the failure.
The accident would seem at first
glance to have been caused by either
Of Two reasons, namely, to wit: the
fact that the section of the roof de-
stroycd is that which covers the VEN
iilating shaft penthouse. which is
the highest point on the roof. and is
therefore subjected to a terrific
wind pressure: or door may have
been aJar at some point in the venti-
lating system. causing a gale within
the building.
il is a difficult matter to state ex-
actly what caused the accident, other
than the fact that the extraordinary
gale was tho mediate cause. Tn
doubtedly the door of the pent- house
had become unfastened and opened,
permitting the wind in the most ef-
aStcr.
The strand theater building is
one OF the highest in this locality,
while the penthouse stands at least
IL feet higher than the roof level.
This condition subjects that portion
of the roof TO strong winds at all
times, and when the furious wind
came on April 18th. 1928, it played
havoc with the first high point
struck, and that happened to be the
peht-house-
An exhaustive investigation was
made from every angle and every
viewpoint by the building depart
ment and police department, and
While We are convinced that the
construction of the sky-light was
light for the wind pressure it had to
stand. yet the reason for its destruc-
ton and failure is unknown. In
doubtedly the proNimate cause of
the failure was due as before stated
TO the christening of the door of
the pent- house. thereby causing the
root to be lifted by the wind Which
hah gathered with great force.
ne construction OF the NenIiia-
Tor was performed by Responsible
lirh' VINO are continually and nave
heen lof some years engaged III 'hls
me u CONSTRUCTION III is urn
"h'ch PERFORMS 'heir WORK Id very