The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-03-23
Checking Loss In
 Spectacular Fire
Eleven Companies Spend Six Hours Battling Flames al Randolph--Clowes and Citizens Coal = Torch Starts Bad Sunday Blaze

Eleven companies of fire appa- ratus spent more than six hours yes- terday battling a spectacular fire which threatened the destruction of two of Waterbury's familiar land marks-the Cloves com- pany and the storage sheds of the Citizens Coal company off Meadow street. Sparks from an acetylene torch used in dismantling machinery in the former factory started the blaze that swept through oil-soaked buildings and onto the property of the coal company. Three alarms were registered within five minutes times. About 15 big lines of hose were pressed into action to check the flames. Huge clouds of smoke wis., ible in all parts of the city added to the spectacular features of the fight and incidentally hampered the fire fighters in their struggle to save the buildings. Seven auto trucks were saved from the fire.
 This morning at 3:20 o'clock En- zine Company No. 10 from head quarters was sent back to the ruins to extinguish blaze that was found smouldering among the wreckage.
 Officials of the American Brass company, owners of the Randolph
 
 Citizens Coal company were en- gagged to-day with insurance apprais- CTS in taking an inventory of the loss. Notwithstanding the spread of the fire it is not believed that the damages will exceed several thou sand dollars.
 Several minutes before word was telephoned into. fire headquarters at 12:03 yesterday noon, hundreds in distant sections of the city observed the clouds of smoke. few minutes later flames were visible to thou sands of spectators. Chief Henry H. Heitman responing to the first alarm from Box 312 appreciated the poss1- bilities of a strenuous fight and sent his men into action without delay. The fire was fought from an angle, with lines of hose stretching across Bank and Meadow streets from every convenient hydrant. Within a short tune thousands of gallons of water had been hurled into the flaming structures. The age of the buildings in the path of the fire was big factor in the rapid advance of the flames. The accumulation of oil and grease in the factory buildings was added fuel to the blaze.
 The American Brass company pur- chased the Randolph Gloves proper ty in July 1929. Of late force of twenty men have been engaged in dismantling the machine y. Tester day for the second time ithin three weeks sparks from the torch dropped iEto a shafting and ignited some oil. Workmen usually prepared for such an emergency found that their ef- forts were futile and word was tele- phoned to fire headquarters. A passerby ran to Box 312 and sent in the second call. Within short space of time the vicinity of Bank and Meadow streets was congested with fire apparatus and hundreds of spectators. Traffic was rerouted by the police On orders from Super intendent Joseph H. Mclean, mem- bers of the motor patrol and the aft crnoon platoon were summoned to handle the situation. Sergeants Jo- seph Bagley, John Bowling and James Gibbons directed the officers.
 At the outset of the fire Michael Pietras of Hartford, one of the men employed in the removal of the equipment, was burned about the face and hands. He was trapped by the flames. He was rescued from an elevated position by fellow work