Evening star., 1932-03-01
THREE FIRE MEN
HURT,FOUR HOUSES
/, SWEPT BY BLAZE
Families Routed From Build
ings in 900 Block Of 18th
Street Southwest.
FURNITURE DESTROYED
IN TWO-ALARM FLAMES
Henry c. Stein, Honorary Battalion
Chief; R. J. Bittner and Will
liam Casey injured.
Three firemen, including an honorary

Three firemen, including an honorary
battalion chief, we're injured early to-
day fighting a two-alarm fire, which
swept four buildings in the 800 block
of Twelfth street southwest, routing a
number of families.
The fire originated in a vacant house
at 3l9 Twelfth street and spread to
three adjacent houses, two OF which
were occupied. This block is partly
vacant and eventually is to be razed to
make way for Government buildings.
Battalion Chief Injured.
Henry c. Stein, 40, of IS Franklin
street northeast, honorary battalion
chief, dislocated his shoulder when he
tripped and fell over hose as he was
running down the alley in the rear OF
the burning houses.
R. ]. Bittner, 29, and William Casey,
80, both of No. 10 Truck Company, were
injured, Bittner, when the plaster cell
ing of one of the houses caved In,
while Casey was struck on the head by
a falling door. Bittner sustained a
badly bruised eye, lacerations and a
broken tooth. Casey has a possible
fracture of the skull and cuts about
the hands and head.
Two families at 321 Twelfth street
suffered most severely, as they were
able to save only a small amount OF
clothing. Their furniture and other
belongings were destroyed as the blaze
swept the three-story frame structure.
This house was occupied by Mr- ana
Mrs. Lyman Jones; Mr.. and Mrs. r.
Flynn, and three children, Betty, Is
years old; Joe, IA, and Fred, II.
While the building, No. 1913, was only
slightly damaged, two families were
forced out They were Mr.. and mrs
T v. Straton and 6-month-old child
Mr.. and Mrs. S. F. Brown and daugh-
ter Dorothy, 8 years old.
Firemen said they believe the blaze
was started by some men who were re-
ported sleeping in one Of the vacant
houses.
Dental Offices Damaged.
A spectacular blaze last night on the
seventh floor Of the District National
Bank Building was said today by Fire
Department inspectors to have been
caused by careless smoking"
The fire broke out in the dental Of
fee of Dr. Lindell L. Leathers, rooms
702-04, and virtually destroyed the
furnishings in one room. Damage was
estimated by Inspectors George Nuss-
baum and R. A. Montieth at from $3.50
to $375, of which about $3.50 was caused
to DR.. Leathers' equipment, not covered
by insurance.
The dentist told the inspectors a
young woman had been smoking in his
office at closing time, about S O'Clock,
and apparently had left her cigarette
burning on an ash tray on table.
The cigarette ignited papers on the
table, which in turn caught tapestry
draperies, setting fire to the furniture.
Flames leaping from the G street
window of the Office were noticed by
a newsboy, who turned in the first
alarm. Hundreds of theatergoers were
attracted to the building, and traffic
was tied up for more than an hour.
Firemen were hampered considerably
in fighting the blaze due to difficulty in
reaching the flames with lines Of hose
1t was necessary to run the lines up
the side of the building, from window
to window, as no ladders would reach
all the way to the seventh floor. There
were no fire extinguishers on the floor
fremen reported.
DR.. Leathers, who was downtown at
the time, followed fire apparatus to the
scene and found his Office in flames
Disregarding the thick smoke and the
warnings Of firemen, he entered the
burning room with the fire fighters and
helped them battle the blaze.