Evening star., 1941-04-05
S250,000 Blaze
Injuries -Four
In Southeast
Miller Furniture Co.
Wall CoIIopses in
Four-AIurm Fire
(Pictures on Page A-20.)

A $250,000 four alarm fire ragged
in the William E. Miller Furniture
Co. building at Eighth and D streets
Sc. for nearly three hours today,
destroying the top floor storage
rooms and causing section of the
building wall to topple into the
street.
Fire Chief Stephen T. Porter, who
took personal charge at the scene,
announced at 1l:30 am. that the
blaze was under control and there
was no further danger of the flames
spreading to adjacent buildings.
Foul f1remen were injured, none
seriously, attempting to fight the
blaze in the intense smoke which
hung low over the area
j. D Miller, manager of the store,
said at least $4,000 worth of furni-
ture was in the place, and probably
was a complete loss The building
also appeared to be almost a COM
plete wreck. Mr. Miller said the
damage was certainly no less than
100000 and probably more. Fire
men estimated the loss at $250,O00.
Post Office Emptied.
The wall section collapse occurred
on the D street side of the three
story building, forcing firemen back
and severing one of the hose lines.
Another shower of bricks came tum-
bling into the street later and Chief
Porter ordered men on that side
of the building to tackle the blaze
from another vantage point.
The fire spread momentarily to a
company annex few doors away,
and at 408 Eighth street a small
Post Office substation was emptied
of all money, stamps and other VAL
uables when it appeared the flames
might spread there.
Traffic Badly Snarled.
Traffic was badly snarled in the
Southeast area. Street cars were
backed up for blocks and Capital
Transit workers were rushed to the
area to raise hose lines over the
car tracks on Pennsylvania avenue.
The injured firemen were:
bOu4S II. VI QUO
Bladensburg road NE, who was
taken to Casualty Hospital with
an injured arm.
I. J. Steed, Sc, of 1926 Tennessee
avenue NE, revived at the scene
after he was overcome by smoke.
E. r. Courier, No. Engine Co.,
taken to Casualty with cut re-
ceived from flying glass.
c. M. OMalley, No. 2 Engine
Co, also cut by flying glass, but
treated at the scene.
Police, under the personal direc-
ton of Maj. Ernest w. Brown,
superintendent, pushed back the
throng of spectators when the D
street wall appeared on the verge of
toppling
Chief Porter ordered all firemen
of duty to report to their stations
for emergency calls. All available
traffic policemen were ordered to
the scene of the blaze to reroute
vehicles in the area and aid in
handling the thousands of spec
tators.
Clouds OF smoke were carried low
over the Capitol Hill area and into
the Northwest Pennsylvania avenue
district. The heavy mist and drizzle
caused the thick smoke to hang low
over the scene, further disrupting
efforts of firemen to bring the blaze
under control.
RIaua ~, TL;r1 EIonr
The blaze was discovered on the
third floor of the building at 9:20
am. by Ernest Austin, a stock man,
who was the only person on the
floor at the time. Pedestrians al
ready had seen smoke and flames
come from the windows and sum-
moned flremen from Engine Com
pany 7, two doors away on Eighth
street.
About Is employees and three or
four customers on the first and
second floors hurried from the
building when they heard the fire
engines drawn up at the front of
the store.
Company 7 firemen Immediately
turned in an alarm for more equip
ment, and the additional alarms fol-
lowed in rapid succession.
Firemen Forced Back.
The flames spread throughout the
top floor of the building within a
few minutes, eating their way
through furniture materials and in
flammable crates stored on the floor.
The blaze shot through the roof and
gradually penetrated the wall on the
D street side
Chief Porter said a partition divid-
ing the upper story was one of the
principal difficulties encountered by
his men.
Firemen climbing ladders to the
top floor windows were forced back
by the flames shooting from the
(See FIRE, Page A-30