Evening star., 1940-04-03
LIST Of Fire Traps
In District Demanded
By Schultz al Inquiry
Col. Oehmonn, Building
Inspector, Testifies 100
Structures Hazardous
By JAMES E. CHINN.

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A list Of buildings in Washington
regarded as fire traps" was sought
today by Chairman Schultz of the
Police and Fire Subcommittee of the
House District Committee.
Representative Schultz, Democrat,
of Indiana said ne would ask Col.
John w. Oehmann, District building
inspector. to furnish the information.
Testifying before Mr.. Schulte's
subcommittee late yesterday, Col.
Oehmann said 100 Or more buildings
in Washington are equally fire
hazardous with the White Court
Apartment at 213l o street NV,
which was swept by a disasterous
blaze Monday in which three persons
lost their lives.
The building inspector, however,
was unable at the time to give the
location of the places
Il want to know where they are
and when they were last inspected
by either the Fire Department or the
building inspectors Office" declared
Mr.. Schultz. I'm going to ask the
building inspector for that informa-
ton without delay"
BoIles Presses for Action.
Meanwhile, Representative Bolles,
Republican, Of Wisconsin, who was
instrumental in promoting an in
vestigation Of potential fire hazards
by the Police and Fire Subcommittee
of the House District Committee,
said. as soon as Col. Oehmann sub
mits the list of alleged fire traps"
he would demand an explanation as
to why steps had not been taken to
condemn them.
"The lives Of hundreds of persons
who live in such, places are in dan
ger" he declared. TT seems to me
that something should have been
done long ago to protect these
people"
Mr.. Bolles also reiterated a state
ment he made at q meeting of the
full District Committee Monday,
that he had observed 40 or so frame
buildings in the vicinity of the
Capitol that he regarded as fire
traps"
Oehmann First Witness.
Col. Oehmann was the first witness
before the subcommittee as it sud-
denly started an investigation of re-
ports that a number Of fire traps"
have been allowed to exist in WASH
ington. The inquiry is direct out
growth Of the fire in the White Court
Apartments.
Aside from Col. Oehmann, the SUBJ
committee took the testimony of Fire
Marshal Calvin G. LAUDER. The date
for the next hearing of the subcom-
mittee has not been fixed, but Mr..
Schultz said he intended to call as
witnesses Fire Chief Stephen T..
Porter, some Of Washington's leading
builders and representatives of the
Fire Underwriters Association.
I'VE want to find out, If there are
fire traps in Washington, why they
have been allowed to exist" said Mr..
Schultz.
The District Commissioners also
ordered an investigation to deter.
mine whether there had been vio-
lation Of District regulations In re-
modelling the place and what steps
should be taken to prevent recur-
renee Of such q fire.
Maj. Patrick H. Tansey, Acting
Engineer Commissioner, was or
dered to head the Commissioner
investigating group. -Four District
ohcials were named to study the
needs for corrective legislation. They
are: Capt. John L. Pearson, Assist
ant Engineer Commissioner: Col.
Oehmann, Mr.. LAUDER, and Herbert
A. Fiede, superintendent Of nre
alarms.
I. Col. Oehmann disclosed in his
testimony that several important
structural changes were made in the
White Court Apartment without the
knowledge of his ONCE. These in
cluded. he said, construction Of .
roof over q former open court, and
an increase from IS to Il in the
number Of apartments in the
building.
Sees Chimney as Faulty.
; He declared, however. he believed
faulty" construction Of . chimney
remodeled In 1887 when Z nav heat
ing plant Wa installed was one Of