The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-05-04
Fire On Meriden Road
 Under Investigation
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 eurely the city should see to it that such vital emergency necessities as lire hydrants are operating proper V. we're lucky 1t wasn't worse"
 Several other board members withheld comment. One said he knew nothing of any protest resolu- iion.
 Hydrans Inspected in March
 supt. of Streets Herbert Scott- Smith whose duties include the sue pervision of hydrant inspection, said that the Merlden road plug was inspected and found to be operat- lng satisfactorily early in March.
 TIC said that each of the ap- oroximately 1000 hydrants in the city Is checked about once every two months under routine condi- tions and that immediate repairs are made on hydrants reported damaged in any way.
 MT. Scott-Smith reported that the hydrant in question was with i. out question hit by truck or car since the time of the inspection in March. The damage was not re- ported, however, by the driver of the vehicle, he said.
 A heavy dent in the barrel of the hydrant bears out the theory that it was broken when hit, he said.
 Reports of three hydrants dam aged by cars were received during the weekend, he said, and repairs were made immediately. The three hydrants were on Chipman and Fuller streets, and Hillside avenue.
 EEr. scott-Smith said that the gates on all hydrants in the vi- cinity of Meriden road were ln- spected as late as two weeks ago.
 Started On Third Floor
 Fire officials are certain that the fire started in the third floor apartment of the house owned oy John Bender, 38-40 Meriden Road. The Bender house was burned to the ground completely and only section of the chimney remained standing when curious sight-seers went to the scene yesterday.
 The house at ALAG Meriden road also was a complete loss and Build anx Inspector John T. Hartley who worked with the fire marshal said that the building would be ordered razed, The first floor of this house was occupied by MT. and Mrs. Henry Schuster.
 MT. Hartley said that the house mt 32.34 Meriden road, south of the Bender house was damaged to the extent that the attic and third floor would have to be razed. He ex- pressed the belief that the two lower floors might be saved or reconstruc- ted.
 Honses on either side of the three burned buildings were scorcneo anu Rrnoke and water damage was re- ported by tenants of the third tloor apartments.
 Members of the French Small Tube branch of the Brass workers union. c. I. O., met yesterday morn ! ina and voted to draft a resolution aslssng Mayor Scully why defective hydrants were permitted to hamper fire fighting efforts in Waterbury.
 Fire Had Good Start
 F1ames were shooting from every ~vindow of the Bender house when Nreunen arrived shortly after 6:3O aaturday night. The building was consumed by flames and reduced to a smoldering heap of ashes m aoouS half an hour. - uoa ! never seen a three story building burn SO quickly. They attributed IL fo the dryness of the building which resulted from the lack of ram III recent weeks.
 The first firemen on the scene hooked up to the defective hydrant and some time was lost in changing to another hydrant in the vicinity.
 Marshal Lahey Speaks
 Marshal Lahey'S statement con- rarning the fire is as follows:
 The marshal said:
 eve are convinced this fire org mated from sparks generated rom \ hon fire in the rear Of the BenoeH ,,rennises: there was an old oil drum, into which rubbish was thrown, ana h,,rned at random; we have evl- dence that this fire was burning gat,Irday night just before the as. cnverv of the fire in question, ana it is oir belief and finding that enarks carried to the third hoor' rear and was therefore the maln cause of the fire.
 "We know that MT. ArchampauiC ouened the rear door to be met py a flame, but which did not oeter him from attempting to throw some of the burning materials from the rear porch; he came back to the litchen. and while he thinks he may nave shut the door, it is our bellet that he was mistaken, for instant lv the entire upper part of the structure was on fire, and names were observed shooting from this mart of the building. The draft was strong. and within very few mn" utes the fire had gained such a headway that flames were seen m all directions, and soon the apart nlent houes on the north side was involved: the heat was so strong that sonae of the fremen had to play water on themselves, and was felt for some distance away, &C., cording to testimony given us by Deople who stood on the Porter Hill several hundred feet westerly of where the fire originally started, ard who were forced out Of the'r position by the intense heat from fhe burning buildings.
 we know that this drum used as an inelnerator, common pras- tlce on the part Of many people, Ind no covering. and consequently ihe sparks were free to carry in all directions.
 'sThe weather has been very dfy of date: these buildings were around 20 years old. dry and weather heaten, and once fire got in&de, with drafts available, nothing could
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