Evening star., 1936-02-22
Man Burned on Face and
Hands Before Rescue by
Raised Ladders.
PROMPT ALARM WARNS
JEWELLERS OF DANGER
Occupants of 7-Story 1roquois
Structure Rush From Smoke
Filled Halls.
Pictures on Page Az

A $4,000 three alarm fire endan-
gered the lives of $50 persons living
in the seven-story Iroquois Apart
ments, .1410 M street, early today,
but was quickly brought under con-
troll after one man suffered slight
burns about the face and arms.
Flames leaped from the rear window
of the third-fioor bed room of A. F..
Jankowski, 35, the injured man, and
cut off escape down the fire escape.
Smoke billowed through the halls and
areaways and brought panic to the
occupants of the building. who milled
about in their night clothes.
Jankowski awoke about $50 am
choking from smoke which filled his
room in the apartment of Mr..
and Mrs. Blair Bennett. He ran to
the front of the fiat and yelled into
the room where the Bennetts were
sleeping:
"Fire!"
Bennett, his eyes smarting with
smoke. reused his wife and together
they rushed into the hall to turn in
the alarm. He pulled the bell which
rings the alarm on each floor and
then grabbed the extinguisher on the
wall as he turned to re-enter his
apartment.
Breaks Door Open.
He found he had locked the door
behind him. but he crashed it open
with blows from the extinguisher.
Meanwhile the apartment dWellers
poured from their rooms. At least
three of them telephoned the Fire
Department.
In the Bennett apartment Jankowsk
was discovered leaning out the dining
room window and gasping for air
In the bed room next to Jan.
kowski's. Blair Bennett. jr., 18. ane
Henry Surguy, father of Mrs Bennett
were aroused by the noise outside
Surguy opened his door. Smoke
rushed in from the hallway. He
slammed the door, threw open hi
window and he and the boy hung
their heads out until firemen took
them down by ladder.
Firemen also removed Jankowski BY
ladder, as we'll as w. G. Bell, CHIEF
architect of the Veterans Administra-
ton, who is legless: Mrs. Emily
Wright, who was ill. and Mrs. D. R
Sheridan. One fireman, Buck Wright
of No. Is Engine Company, suffered q
slight injury to his finger.
Jankowski was rushed by firemen
to Emergency Hospital. He was re-
leased after treatment.
The origin of the fire was unde-
termined. It was agreed it began In
Jankowski's room, but this was burnt
to a crisp. Bed, chairs, bureau ano
other furnishings were utterly de-
stroyed and the walls, floor and CELL
ing were charred in one black mass.
Most of the tenants had planned
to sleep late and take advantage OF
the holiday. They were glad, how
ever, the fire was discovered early
enough to prevent more damage
which was confined to the Bennett
apartment.
Halle Selassie, Pet Cat, Saved.
Robert Hood, 1S, hurried down the
steps as soon as the alarm was
sounded to save his cat, Halle Selassie
Helen Gibb, who lives on the fifth
floor on the opposite side of the build
ing from the apartment in which the
fire ragged, dressed, climbed to the ROOT
and then leaped to the roof of the
building next door, where firemen
later found her.
Jankowski is w. P. A. engineer
Bennett works for L. P. Steuart, Inc
Surguy, retired Government en-
ploye, is secretary of the National
Assurance Society.