The Indianapolis times., 1933-10-04

NohiiCg NOI OliCl, WIZ odlO IlC ~
enty-fve periShed."
The county mOrgue held
the unrecognizable bodies Of
thirty-three men this after
noon. Shortly thereafter depu-
ties moved into the small
canyon to search for addi-
tional victims.
The sights that greeted the
searchers. affected even the most
experienced deputy coroners.
Blackened bodies were found IN
grotesoue positions. In some
cases arms were outstretched as if
in suppncation. in others hfeless
figures were crouched.
In still others the bodies lay face
down in ashes left as the flames
shot with lightning speed through
the MESQUITE. greasewood and sedge
that lined the canyons walls.
Narrowing Stories Told
44Doctors who labored through the
night midst scenes of indescrlbable
confusion. told narrowing tales OF
attacks upon would-be rescuers by
crazed, burned workers.
A man was brought in screaming:
Don't touch me: don't touch me!
His back was burned red. He
seized shovel and attempted to
beat those who administered to
him.
Another worker told of seeing a
companion drop a huge rock on his
head. to fall unconscious in the
path of the flames and thus Ole
without pain.
Probe Is Opened
The victims. all county welfare
workers. we're cut down by flames
that trapped them in the cone
shaped ravine where they had gone
to fight the fire late last night.
Some of those who escaped the
inferno claimed they were ordered
into the raVine by straw bosses.
City and county authorities opened
Investigations to fix responsibility.
Fireman blamed the victims ignor-
ance of fire-fighting technique.
In fighting the brush fire, the
welfare workers built a back fire
and allowed themselves to be trap
ped in the ravine between the two
fires.
Nine of the injured are in criti-
cal condition and physicians fear
their burns may be fatal.
That more men did not lose their
lives in the teacup-like canyon was
credited to Los Angeles city firemen
who arrived i'll time to warn them
of the deathtrap they had entered.
The fire presumably started or
iginally from a cigaret. carelessly
dropped by one of the thousands OF
men working for the county and
being paid out of unemployment
relief funds.
Suspect Under Arrest
Robert Barr, %. was under arrest
this afternoon in connection With
the tragic fire. He was taken into
custody shortly after several smaller
brush fires broke out in the imme
date vicinity of the larger blaze.
Police said he was carrying a rag,
matches and a pair of wire cutters.
When questioned, he refused to
talk beyond stating briefly he had
left his home Ito help fight the
fire"
He was to be requestioned later
today.
Ninety Go Into Canyon
1t started near the bride path in
the municipality owned park, and,
famed by a brisk east wind, gained
considerable headway.
There were approximately 5000
county welfare workers in the park.
Most were ordered to help fight the
fire.
Some ninety went into the cam
Won where so many later perished.
A backf1re was started and the men
were guarding it when the first city
fremen arrived and shouted warn
ingS that the place was unsafe.
Those who started to flee at the
first warning and had been fortu-
nate enough to choose blindly the
fourth and last wall to be fired
reached safety.
The remainder perished. for the
flames soon covered the fourth wall.
overtaking those who tried belatedly
to stumble to the top.
typical case, perhaps, of one
who got to safety. although slightly
burned was Charles Lyons, 20.
I vas lucky he said. BY acci-
dent I picked out the right way to
run. Most Of the others weren't so
fortunate. I saw a lot Of them
caught by the fire and fall scream
ing"