Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-06
TWO OVERCOME
IN S4OO,O(]O BLAZE
AT Fl. HUMPHREYS
Wartime Building Filled With
Engineers Supplies Destroy
ed at Army Post.
OFFICERS QUIT DANCE
TO FIGHT THE FLAMES
Inquiry Under Way to Determine
Origin of Fire Now
Mystery.

A spectacular fire which for a time
threatened to make a clean sweep OF
the frame warehouses at Fort Hum
phreys was brought under control by
some 600 officers and men early today
after 1t had RACED q wartime building
stored with engineers equipment eSti-
mated to be worth 100000 to $400,0 600
Two enlisted men were overcome by
smoke during the thick of the fight and
received treatment at the post hospital
An investigation was under way today
to determine the origin of the blaze
Lieut.. L. j. Rumaggi, in charge of the
engineers warehouse, said the fire APP
parently started on the ground floor
near the center of the building at a
point where nothing inf1ammable was
stored. He could advance no explana-
ton as to how the fire originated.
Quit Dance to Fight Fire.
The officers Club of the post was en-
Pertaining at dance when sentry on
duty in the warehouse area discovered
flames shooting from the taxpayer roof
of the building at IL o'clock and turned
in a general alarm.
The officers hastily quilted the dance
floor in their white dress uniforms and
fought the blaze with the enlisted men,
from behind the fire lines.
The flames had gained such Roadway
when discovered there was no time to
saw the engineers warehouse, and the
hose was trained on an adjoining ord
nance building in which a large guam
tity of small arms ammunition was
stored.
While streams of water were played
on the building, members of Company
st fI,a a
ammunition from the threatened ware
house and removed it to a safe place.
A half hour after the fire fight was
organized the flames were Spouting 100
feet into the air and sending out shower
of sparks. Believing the fire would get
beyond the control of the post fire de-
partment and the troops, a call for aid
was telephoned to the Alexandria Fire
Department.
Companies Respond.
Engines of Companies Nos. and
and the accompanying hose wagons re-
sponded from Alexandria and made the
12-mile run in record time. With the
fire practically under control when they
arrived, the Alexandria f1remen went
into action along with the Army men In
preventing the blaze from spreading.
Meantime, a number of troops OF cav
patched to scour the nearby country
to search for any possible forest fires
started from the shower of sparks sent
for several miles by the high southwest
wind. A number of serious forest hreS
have occurred recently in the vicinity
of the fort and it was feared that otherS
might be started
The Army's firehghters were directed
by Col. E. H. Schulz, post comman-
dant; Col. z. j. Dent, commandant OF
18th Engineers, and Capt j. M. Ward
fire marshal.
In the thick of the fight two enlisted
men were overcome by smoke and hao
to be removed to the post hospital
Neither was serious affected, and botf
were discharged after flrst-aid treat
ment.
New Stock Burned.
Two box car loads of quartermastel
supplies, including large quantity Of
stationery and drafting paper, had beer
placed in the warehouse early YESTERDAY
and this added greatly to the intensity
of the blaze. Among the supplies de-
stroyed was the complete field equip
nent Of the 18th Battalion OF Engl
neers.
The supplies which were damaged OF
entirely destroyed included quantity
of surveying, drafting and pioneer
Equipment recently acquired for the us'
Of Reserve and r. o. T. G. training
camps this Summer.
- The dance in progress at Harris Hal
was arranged in honor of some two.
score Army, Reserve and Nationa
Guard officers who will be graduated
today from the Engineers School at thu
fort
The full man strength of the fort wa
mustered to fight the blaze and the ON
GERS today were unstinted in their praise
: of the department of the enlisted men
who were credited with preventing I
general fire.