Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-06
PROBE Church FIRE
WHERE CHIEF DIED
AND SIX WERE HURT
Police Department Officials
Cooperate in Visit to Scene
of Virnstein's Death.
SEVERAL MEN PINNED
BENEATH FALLING ROOF
Blaze in $500 Block of Nichols
Avenue Believed to Have
Been Incendiary.

battalion chief was killed and six
other firemen were injured yesterday
when fire destroyed an abandoned
church in the $500 block Of Nichols
avenue southeast.
The chief killed in the blaze, which
is believed to have been incendiary,
was John H. Virnstein, with headquar-
tiers Engine Company No. 8. Hurt
when the roof of the frame building
Caved in on him and the other f1remen,
Virnstein was taken to Casualty Hos
pital, where he died about an hour
later.
Sergeant Saves Others.
Heroic action on the part Of Acting
Sergt. K. S. Cussler of Engine Company
No Is saved the other firenlen from
possible death.
When the roof collapsed Cussler, who
lives at 1927 West Virginia avenue
northeast, braced himself between two
pillars and supported the fallen tim
bers on his back.
Hundreds Of spectators, gathered in
front of the blazing structure. saw
CusSler's act. Although he was slightly
injured when the roof struck his back
he remained on duty until this morn
ing. Aside from feeling kind Of tired"
the only i'll effect suffered by Cussler
back"
Others Are Injured.
The other firemen hurt were William
Manual, Engine Company No. 10; VIII
liam H. Boswell, Engine Company No.
8; r. o. Russell, Truck Company No 8;
c. w. Ridley, Engine Company No IS,
and John Albers, also Of Engine Com
pany No. 25.
All the injured men except Russell
were treated at Casualty Hospital, but
only Manual was obliged to remain
there. His injuries, as listed at hos
pital, consisted of cuts, bruises and
shock The other firemen suffered SIM
liar injuries but of a less serious ma
ture. Russell was treated at his home,
at 735 Alabama avenue southeast.
When Virnstein arrived at the hos
pital he was not believed badly hurt
An examination, however, revealed he
was suffering from serious internal in
juries, including possible fractures OF
the spine and pelvis.
Son at Base Ball Game.
His son, Dr. John E. Virnstein, also
of the New Hampshire avenue address,
was attending the Washington-Phila
delphia base ball game at the time.
His wife, Mrs. Carmel Virnstein, went
to Griffith Stadium and had call for
him broadcast from the amplifers
there.
Chief Virnstein's wife, Mrs. Rose
VirnStein, was summoned from the
family Summer home at Piney Point,
Md. DR.. Virnstein was at his fathers
bedside when he died. but his mother
did not reach the hospital until later
After the roof of the burning building
caved in Cussler held it up while Lieut.
T. H. Green of engine No. 25 and Pvt
John Ihrie of truck No. Is removed
the injured men from the debris
part of the roof about eight feet
from CuSsler hit Virnstein, however
and he was buried Cussler helped
Green and Ihrie pull the fallen timbers
from the injured chief.
Captain Escapes Injury.
Capt. jeremiah Sullivan Of Truck
Company No 8 also was in the struc-
ture when the roof collapsed, but he
escaped injury. AS the cry of 1.-THE
roofs falling" rose from the spectators
several f1remen ran into the blazing
building in an effort to warn those
inside. The warning came too late,
Only the walls of the old church
were left standing and they were SO
near collapse that eleventh precinct
police roped the building off.
Police and Fire Department officials
are investigating the blaze in an eff
AOAO W lCdlIl 1Io UIISlIl. Inc ruins WILL
be inspected today.
Virnstein, who was born in Washing
ton on September l, 1876. had bril-
liant record with the Fire Depart
ment, according to his superiors.
Commended for Heroism.
He was commended for bravery in
both the Knickerbocker Theater dis
aster Of 1922 and the Adams Hotel Sup
ply Co. fire of about Is years ago. He
mad not missed serious blaze in the
District since 1897, and he helped fight
the great Baltimore fire of 1904.
Joining the Fire Department on
March 5, 1897, Virnstein was detailed to
Engine No. 8, where he served success
Sively as assistant foreman, foreman
and aide to Chief Joseph Paris.
He was promoted to the captaincy in
1908 and was transferred to Engine No.
l6, where he remained for about 19
years. In 1925 he was placed in
charge of the drill school, later becom-
ing battalion chief and making his
headquarters at Engine No. 8.
Official of Relief Group.
For the last 10 years he had served
as vice president of the Firemen's Relief
Association.
Besides his widow and son, daugh-
ter Mrs. Gertrude Towers; four, BROTH
erS William, Robert, James and Ray
mond, and a sister, Mrs. Mary Raley,
survive.
The building in which Virnstein lost
his life was known as the Campbell
A. M. E. Church, which was organized
Immediately after the Civil War. At
that time it was an open-air congre-
cation, but building was erected
short time later.
Rebuilt more than 40 years ago, the
church was remodeled in 1905. Later,
under the pastorate of DR.. Charles H.
Wesley, professor of history at Howard
University and now a presiding elder Of
this district a brick structure was
erected beside the old frame building.
The new church was completed about
five years ago, when the old one was
abandoned.
The pastor, Rev. A. L. Crigler, has
been ill at Walter Reed Hospital for
the last two weeks, and Rev. Elmore
Wormley has been substituting for
him.
Funeral services for Chief Virnstein
will be held at 10 am. Wednesday at
Sacred Heart Church. Sixteenth street
and Park road. Burial will be In Cedar
Hill Cemetery.
Will Attend Dental Congress.
Col Robert T. Oliver, Army Dental
-. 81 So NYnr~ W