Evening star., 1933-12-31
CHIEF WILL PROBE
ALEXANDRIA FIRE
Burning Wastepaper Basket
Seen as Cause of $4,000
Apartment Blaze.
By Stan Correspondent of The Star.

BY a STAFF Correspondent OF The Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, December 30
Fire Chief James M Duncan, jr., was
preparing here tonight to open an in
vestigation into report that a blazing
wastepaper basket was tossed down
the incinerator shaft of the Cameron
Apartments a few moments before a
raging fire swept through the four
story structure. forcing 19 families into
the street, sending 6 people to the hos
pital for treatment for injuries and
shock and causing approximately S50,-
600 damage.
The six persons, including a 78-year-
old woman and an 8-year-old child,
were carried from the burning building,
while a seventh escaped from the apart
ment house by leaping to the roof of
an adjoining store
Duncan. who was ordered to his home
by physicians to recover from exhaus-
ton after battling two stubborn fires
this afternoon, said that an investiga
ton would be opened Immediately,
along with the usual routine probe con-
Quoted into all fires of undetermined
origin.
Started in Basement.
The fire started il the basement of
the apartment. located at King and
Alfred streets, in the heart of the re-
tail business section, and travelled up
the shaft and spread along the roof
and top floor of the house, Duncan
said.
Mr. and Mrs Claude c. Nails and
their 8-year-old son were carried down
the fire escape to safety by former Po-
ncenan Allie c. Jones, a volunteer fire
man, while Carlton Padgett, local florist.
and neighborlng tenants led Mrs. A. l..
ArbogaSt, rs. and her two daughters
Miss Blanche Arbogast and Mrs. Har-
vey Lynch. down the smoke-fllled stair
case to the street
Trapped in the building. Harvey
Lynch leaped TO the top of an adjoin-
ing store to safety as the flames singed
his hair.
Treated for Shock.
Mrs. Arbogast and her two daughters
were given treatment for shock and
bruises, while three Alexandria firemen
Arthur Skillman, John Posey. both
AAlNAlONAo VI 4NO. II uIh dIlu IllSlllC
Company, and Leonard DeVers, No. 5
Engine Company. suffered hurts.
Skillman received a cut wrist. Posey
possible fracture of the ankle and
Devers frozen feet.
The blaze, described by firemen as
the worst here since the Fairfax Apart
ments, one block away were destroyed
by flames five years ago almost to the
day, broke out again about l pm. and
was discovered by Claude S. Mcdonald
of the Alexandria Police Department.
Two of the local companies were
combating fire which started after a
mysterious explosion in the basement of
the home of Emmett L. PoSey, l4l4
Cameron street and a call for help was
telephoned to the District of Columbia
Fire Department.
Three Washington companies Joined
the local department in fighting the fire
and battled the blaze for more than
two hours before bringing it under
control.
NeighbOrs Help Sufferers.
Neighbors offered shelter to tre
homeless. while members of the f.
department auxiliaries passed out
coffee and cigarettes among the fire
fighters.
A. S. Doniphan, owner of the build
ing, estimated the damage at about
$4,000 and said it was only partly
covered by insurance. Doniphan also
was the owner of the Fairfax Apart
ments, destroyed December 81, 1928.
The interior of the Posey home on
Cameron street was wrecked by the ex-
plosion and fire which followed, while
neighboring families were forced to
evacuate their homes temporarily to
escape the smoke.
They included the families of De-
tective Sergt. Edgar Sims, who carried