The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-12-10
8 DEAD AS FIRE
SWEEPS FILM
STUDIO
CONTINUED From Page ~


who were on the second floor
were cut off from the exits and
many OF them leaped from win
dows. Those on the first floor
were blinded by smoke. Those
who fought their way out were on
the verge of collapse.
A few minutes after they were
able to finally enter the building,
firemen emerged carrying the
bodies of two men and two wom-
en-. and a third woman who was
so badly burned was taken to a
hospital in dying condition.
Gas Masks Made Necessary
The acrid smoke almost over
came the firemen, and when they
re-entered the structure they
donned gas masks.
Some Of the bodies carried from
the building were burned almost
beyond recognition.
The girls had just donned their
costumes in preparation for par.
ticipation in Harry Delmar's
BLACK and White Review"
which was to be shot" as a
sound picture, with Eddie Elkins
and his orchestra of IL furnish
ing the music.
Elkins and his orchestra were
on the studio stage when the
blaze broke out. The ballet girls
approximately 30-were in their
dressing $rooms waiting for Di-
rector Delmar to call them to the
camera room.
Velvet Drape Ignited
It was then q great black vel.
vet drape in the rear Of the
studio burst in flames. II there
was an explosion, as reported, 1t
was slight.
Screams Of "fire!" rent the
place. precipitating a panic. The
smoke and flames shot upward
to the second floor where the
other girls and studio forces were
preparing for work.
The studio crew seized fire
buckets and tried, ineffec tually,
to quench the flames.
Musical Director Escapes
Carl Edowarel, SO, musical
director Of the revue. was the
first to break out of the burning
building. He leaped through
glass and a window sash. landing
on the sidewalk in crumbled
heap. His leg was wrenched. per.
haps broken. He was taken away
on stretcher, still conscious,
however.
Save them, save them-the
girls, they're penned in there" he
moaned. Then he tainted.
Others leaped from windows,
too. Everybody in the building
seemed to be in a panic.
A girl, her flimsy ballet dress
In flames. screamed as she
jumped from an upper floor
window. She lay still, as she
crashed to the cement sidewalk.
| Doctors said she was dead By
the time she struck the sidewalk.
One man carried the glass and
sash with him. He was picked
UP, gibbering and semi-conscious.
Fire Alarm Sounded
One man managed to escape
through the flames that enveloped
the main floor exits, rushed to the
fire box on the corner and
smashed the glass, summoning the
fire department.
Exactly how many had been
trapped could not be quickly de-
termined, but a check up was in
progress shortly after the arrival
Of the fire department.
Within half an hour five seri.
ouSly injured were received at the
Harlem Hospital.
No one seemed to know how
the fire started. The first knowi-
edge that anything was amiss
came when a billowing wave of
smoke swept across the main
floor of the building.
Some Heard Explosion
Several persons in the neighbor.
hood claimed to have heard an
explosion.
Three companies of actors were
in the studio, it was said. when
the fire broke out. A sound Aoic-
ture-a Pathe comedy. directed
by Arch Heath. titled Scared To
Death" had been completed yes
terday. In addition to the Del
mar Revue, comedy directed by
George Lemaire, and a third pic