The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-09-21

The biggest fire of the year was the blaze that destroyed the Rose Dress shop, 85-87 South Main street in April, according to the annual re- port of Fire Marshal Den Lahey, submitted today to Mayor Vincent A. Scully.
 Reviewing the highlights of the year, Marshal Lahey said the Rose shop fire caused damage estimated at $30,000 to the store itself, and loss of thousands of dollars to ad- joining establishments.
 The report of Fire Chief Thomas F. Cavanaugh, submitted to the mayor earlier this week, estimated the total loss by fire in the city dur ing the past year as $169,378. Paid insurance brought the total unin- Sured loss down to $12,340.67.
 Another fire ranked near the top by the mcrshal was the blaze that gutted Dr. Dudley B. Deming's home on Country club road in March. This fire caused damage of 5000.
 Marshal Lahey also advocated a stricter ordinance prohibiting all night parking in congested areas.
 Recently, we found one street so parked with the automobiles of workers in nearby factory that the room left was hardly sufficient for our own Nash sedan to pass" the marshal said to illustrate his point.
 The marshars report, reviewing in detail the activities of his de- partment in the past year, gives praise to the rank and file of the force. ''The marshal and his staff glories in their association with these men," MT. Lahey said.
 Regarding the heads of the de- partment, Marshal Lahey said "the department has made exceptional progress under our present chief, Thomas F. Cavanaugh, and his able deputy, Martin J. Campion, along with the aid given by the acting deputies and other officers and privates of the service"
 The report ends with a cordial greeting" to the mayor in his first year of service as mayor. we wish for you and the success of the com- misSioners named to name the af- fairs of the fire department, MT L,ahey said.
 Among the highlights reported by the marshal was the tragedy of the three Washington Hill boys who were killed by lightning July II. The marshal quoted the words of Fire Board Chairman Finton Phelan praising the firemen for their un- successful attempts to have the boys.
 The report also reviewed several minor fires, including a $5,000 blaze on Central avenue Jan. IT; 8 $6,000 fire at 69 Abbott avenue April ', and other fires which had an ele- ment of the spectacular. even though damage was relatively small.
 Investigations Hearings
 Part of the report follows:
 During the year just closed, we have made numerous investigations as to the causes of fire. Tn various instances, suspicious circumstances seemed apparent at the outset, only to be properly cleared up by the evil dence obtained through the witness es summoned and hearings held. Un- der the law, we are obliged to report all fires to the State Fire Marshal, who is the State Police Commission CT. He in turn sends his represen- tative, a state policeman, here to join with the Marshal in the inquiry to be held. In the time mentioned, we have been assisted and aided by the State Police in this work just 93 times.
 In some cases boys of tender Hge were involved in different fires; when this occurs, we simply ascer- tain the facts and turn the matter