Evening star., 1936-05-10
Three Firemen, EmpIoye In
iured When Explosion
Starts Blaze.
THOUSANDS ATTRACTED
BY FLAMES AND SMOKE
Police Boat Blows Up Responding
to One of Three Alarms.
Officer Is Hurt.
(Picture on Page BIZ

A fire started by an explosion and
fed by gasoline storage tanks de-
stroyed the American Chlorophyll,
Inc, plant at 3240 K street last night
and injured three firemen and one
plant employe, two seriously. A po-
liceman also was injured by an ex-
plosion in police boat responding to
one of the three alarms which fol-
lowed each other in quick succession.
The blaze and thick columns Of
smoke. which covered the streets ad-
jacent to the plant, and spread over
the Potomac River as far away as
Potomac Park, attracted thousands of
spectators, who thronged the streets
and crowded on fences and housetops
on the Georgetown hillside, which
rises from the river back of the
plant Sixteen explosions followed the
first blast.
Stanley Entler 35, on duty on the
night shift, was on the first floor
when the explosion occurred just be-
fore O'Clock. Burned on the face,
hands and arms, he ran across the
street to give the alarm. After re-
ceiving flrst-aid treatment from Henry
r. Davis, ship chandler. at 3205 K
street. he was taken to Emergency
Hospital. He lives at 1926 Pennsyl-
vania avenue.
DR.. Frank NJ. Schertz, plant chem
ist, of 1905 Farragut street and E. NJ.
Thompson, another plant employe,
were working on the third floor Of
the building when the explosion took
place. presumably in one of the So
gallon gasoline tanks used in dis
tilling the chlorophyll. They rushed
down to safety before the flames
spread throughout the structure and
turned the interior into a roaring
furnace.
Blast Injuries Fireman.
Among the first companies 20 reach
the scene was number l6 engine. As
Lieut.. H. F. Harding was directing his
men at the side of the flaming build
ing, an explosion blew out a double
door and knocked him to the ground
unconscious A sheet Of flame leaped
out over him as he lay PROSTATE and
enveloped Sergt NJ. c. Mason, who had
come to his side.
As Mason staggered backward Sergt,
Elmer F. Stein of number 2 engine
company rushed to Lieut.. Hardings
rescue. dragging his inert body to
safety. Harding was removed to
Emergency Hospital, where his burns
we're described as serious. Mason was
taken to the hospital also, but is not
in serious condition.
w. J. Schmitz, SO, of number 9
engine company, was burned on the
hands by chemicals while working
near the building, but returned to
duty after receiving first aid treat
ment by the number one rescue squad.
Acting Chief Engineer John Car
rington arrived on the scene shortly
after the second alarm was turned
in and took charge in the absence Of
Fire Chief Charles E. Schrom. Men
placed at points of vantage on all
sides of the structure and the tops
of freight cars along K street poured
a continuous stream of water through
every available door and window.
Police Boat Explodes.
Pvt. Lemuel Baliles, 33, of the har-
Dor precinct was burned on the face
and hands when the police boat in
which he was preparing to start to the
fire was wrecked by an explosion. When
he stepped on the starter a spark ig-
nited gasoline in the bilge water. The
explosion blew off the roof Of the
cabin of the 50-foot cruiser and hurled
Baliles against bulkhead. The hull
caught fire and was badly damaged
before the blaze was extinguished.
Baliles was also taken to Emergency
Hospital.
Attracted by tine smoke and the fire
tug which rushed to the fire at an early
alarm, scores of canoeists. many in
swimming suits, padded to the scene.
Their craft were soon floating in film
as the green dye, flushed out OF the
building, poured into the river.
The heavy pail of smoke which COW
cred the street like fog more than
a block away hampered the flremen
working on the windward side of the
plant and gas masks were put into uso
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