New Britain herald., 1928-06-11
FIRE LOSS CLIMBS
 ID ABOUT S60,O)0
Lacourse Block Is Guttd By
 Flames Sunday Afternoon
EXPLOSIONS ARE HEARD
Cause nf Blaze Not Dctermineti- Building Almost Total Loss-Eire-
 man is njur,tl--Moriart,- -OCon-
 nell Wedding Toda,-Othcr News.

nell Wedding IodaN-Dthcr News. Fire of undetermined origin, which hrok" out shortly after . o'clock sunday afternoon. completely suttcd the G"org" |. I.aCourSc block at l32- l42 North Main street and caused damage estimated this morning by Chief John II, Hayes at approxi- Inately sGo,ooo. The fire is the worst which the department has had to hope with ill several years. and all available equipment in the city Was summoned to fight the flames.
 The fire was first discovered by Policeman John Bachman at 3:05 p. m. Walking down North Main street he noticed tiny wisp Of smoke which he first thought was the exhaust from a passing automo- rllo. A second glance, however, showed that 1t came from a base mcnt window in the northern end of the block and he immediately rushed to the Central fire station on Meadow street and sounded the alarm. Squad A responded and at the same time a still alarm was sounded from headquarters, sum- moninE Hose Companies Nos. and ?. An effort was made at first to stem inc blaze with chemicals but he fire spread so rapidly that the liremen were driven from the base ment, Ilosc was laid from tho hy- drant located on North Main street near Meadow and when the blaze started to spread, general alarm was sounded, summoning Welch Of the regular mon on the of shift as well as a number of volunteers.
 Explosions spread Blaze
 A series Of explosions in the base ment of the building caused the fire 10 spread quickly so that in very few minutes smoke was pouring from every basement window. from the stores on the first floor and from he offices on the second floor. Nine lines of hose were laid. four from the hydrant on North Main near Meadow street. two from the Mea- dow street hydrant, one from the Laurel street hydrant and two from the hydrant in front of the Horton Manufacturing Company on North ! Main street. Thousands Of gallons of water were poured into the base ment and when the flames finally broke through the partitions and reached the first floor. the firemcn devoted their efforts to conflning it 10 that section. The greatest diff culty was experienced by firemen be- which rolled from the store win dows and from every other opening. Several tircmon narrowly escaped being overcome and it was necessary 10 furnish frequent relief to the hosemon.
 Gas flinders
 Escaping gas hindered the firemen in their efforts to subdue the flames and to contine them 10 the basement Of the building. Tho intense heat melted the gas meter connections. causing meters to drop to the floor. The gas. catching fire, spread the flames rapidly to partitions and it was not until two hours after the fire started, that employees of the Connecticut Light and Power com pany arrived on the scene.
 It was some time later, however before it could be shut off. because Of the intense heat in the basement.
 The fire was placed under control about 5:3o, Welch Fire Company being the first to leave at o'clock The other three companies returned to their respective houses at 7:45 ?. m. As a prccaution, however. Chief Hayes left one line of hose conncc- cd with fireman on duty all night in the event the fire should again break out.
 Building Total Loss
 Although the four walls Of tho building remained standing. the in tcrior Of the building was badly guttcd. Tho floors Of stores occu- |lfI "! IT. '. Afl1llS. tue NIdTUtfl ol Italy and the Oregon Fruit store dropped through to the basement and the flooring on the second floor Sagecd badly. in some spots as much as IS inches
 The first floor of thc building was occupied by stores conducted by tho Oregon Fruit Store, John Iloros. proprietor: the Garden Of Italy con- ducted hy Harry Toscano. the fur ni'ure store of Fred r. Annis and inc Elaine Sample Shop conducted by George Miller. The stock In each of these stores was all badly damaEod \ checknp this morning