Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-04-15
Is HURT IN PANIC
WHEN STREET CAR
BURSTS |NT0F|RE
Screaming Passengers
Smash Windows, Leap
From Moving Trolley.
CENTER DOOR TANNED
BY PRESS OF CROWD
Motorman, Hating Car in Midst
of Flames, Is Among Most
Seriously Injured.

Twenty-six persons were injured
this morning when panic swept a
crowded street car at Georgia avenue
and Lamont street following an ex-
ploSive fire which turned the whole
front end of the car into a mass of
shooting flame.
Perhaps the most severely injured
was J. M. DUNCAN, %, the motorman,
who stuck to his post at the flaming
control box and brought the car to a
halt while screaming passengers be-
hind him broke the windows with
their shoes and leaped to the street.
Witnesses said at least half of the
passengers jumped out windows from
which the glass had been smashed.
Many landed on the street while the
car was still in motion.
Crowd Blocks Center Door.
In the first mad rush for exits, the
crowd damned so tightly against the
big center door of the old car that the
conductor, D. H. jefferson, could not
open it. Many windows had been
broken before the crowd forced open
door on the opposite side of the car.
An eyewitness account was given
by Frank w. Myers. IS, of 1905 Sec
ond street, postal clerk who was sit
ting just behind the motorman
The first / knew there was a loud
explosion and the whole front end
of the car was full of shooting red
flames.
The car was crowded and panic
broke out Immediately. There was
mad rush for the doors. Women and
children were pushed about as the
screaming crowd battled to get out.
When the crowd damned the doors
the passengers began to smash glass
from the windows and crawl out over
the bars while the car was still in
motion"
Cause Not Known Certainly.
DUNCAN, who lives at 80 Sherman
Circle, was treated at Garfield Hos
pital for burns about the hands and
neck. He said he did not know what
happened but that he stuck to his
post and halted the car In spite of the
flames shooting from the control box
He gave as his opinion that the fire
must have resulted from a short cir
cult.
Among those treated at Garfield for
minor cuts and bruises received in the
. mad scramble for exits were Alvera
Kirkmeyer, 81, of 1885 Warder Street;
Jessie Herbert, 724 Farragut street;
Ethel Addison, colored, 81, of 1924
Eleventh street; Mary Lee Wise, 81,
of 400 H street; w. j. Michael, 8O2
Taylor street, and Loretta StelfoX, 80,
of SOB Holstein avenue.
An emergency first-aid station was
set up in a Women's clothing shop
at 3218 Georgia avenue for treatment
of the less seriously injured. Those
given first aid included Miss Louise
Weber, 52l5 Thirteenth street; Miss
Carrie Trivett, Mrs. Arthur Trivett
and Mrs. Dent Brady, all of 808 Aspen
street, and Bradley Fischer, 25O5 Mills
avenue northeast.
Some Refuse Treatment.
Those slightly injured who refused
treatment were Alice G. Howard, Sc,
of 1884 Kennedy street; Ann Yadger,
20, of sos Park road; Dora Karchem,
1855 Calvert street; William H. Hage-
steary, At, of 1904 New Hampshire ave-
nue.; Mrs. Mamie " Smith, 40, of 9O6
Rittenhouse street; Bertha Jones, COL
ored As, of No. DerieS street; Agnes
Stone, 20, colored, 1909 Rhode Island
avenue; Margaret Hastings, 81, of
640l Fourteenth street, and Ida Mich
OILS, 25, of $50 L street
Others treated at Garfield Hospital
were Mrs. Ercelle Quinn, At, of Wal
ter Reed Hospital, bruised hip, and
Dorothy Ahlgren, 26, 445 Park road.
At Freedmen's Hospital the follow
ing were treated: Sally Walker, 80,
colored, SOB L street northeast, bruises
to legs and thighs; Virginia Totter,
"a, of COL Park road, cuts to wrist and
hand; James M. Moss, 81, colored, 423
@ street, cuts to both hands.
Fischer said many Of the men pas
sengers behaved in most ungentle-
manly manner" and thrust women and
(See FIRE, Page A-2.)