Evening star., 1943-02-19
New Signals Blamed
In Deaths Of Two in
Maryland Fire
Damage in Alexandra
Bloze Also Attributed
To Alarm System

Confusion caused by the new fire.
alarm signals received at least par,
tlal blame today for the deaths OF
two children in Maryland fire and
damage of $500 in an Alexandria
blaze.
Alexandria Fire Chief James M.
Duncan, jr., also said that the
change in signals will cause a great
er loss of life and property along
the Eastern Seaboard than would
any nuisance bombing. Fire signals
were changed Wednesday to three
short siren blasts or bells to prevent
confusion with the new air raid
warnings, which are now sounded
by long siren walls. Use of sirens
on fire apparatus is also prohibited.
c. D. Walker, sr, chief of the
Berwyn Heights (Md0 Volunteer
Fire Department, declared that the
few minutes delay caused by the
new signals and a 21a mile extra
run around a closed railroad cross
ing may have cost the lives Of two
small children who died yesterday
when fire destroyed their two-story
home near Branchville.
Only IL volunteers responded to
the Alexandria fire, Chief Duncan
said, where normally 40 men would
have answered The fire, which
damaged three frame houses, could
have been under control in half the
time that was required, he said.
Children Alone in House.
The Branchville victims, Earl, 2,
and Stanley Bryant, 10 months,
whose father, a sheet metal worker,
had left home last week to take
new job in Florida, had been left
with two other children in a room
on the second floor Of the house.
Their mother, Mrs. Margaret Bryant,
had gone to the store, police re-
ported.
Mr.. Walker said the delay in get
ting fire-fighting equipment under
way was the result of new fire sig
nails, which must sound for a minute
and a half before firemen can tele-
phone for instructions. Formerly
! firemen could be on their way at the
| first sound of siren.
The closing of the crossing be-
| tween Berwyn Heights and Branch
vile, it was said, was protested Mon
day by group of Berwyn business
rnen who urged John White of Col
mar Manor, speaker of the Mary
/ land House of Delegates, that steps
b. taken to reopen the route.
Police quoted Mrs. Bryant as say
| ing she heard fire sirens and saw
smoke coming from the second floor
of her house before she reached the
store and ran home.
When she arrived home, she told
rolice, Irving ScadeS. an occupant
OF the first floor of the house, had
carried the two older children, Mar
| garet, S. and Joan, 4, to safety, but
the flames made him unable to re-
| tun to the second-floor room for
the other children due to the intense
heat.
Blaze Battled for Two Hours.
Firemen from Branchville, Berwyn
Heights and College Park fire de-
partments, who battled the blaze for
two hours without bringing it under
control. said they were unable to
determine the cause. Mrs. Bryant,
however told firemen there was a
coal heater in the room with the
children which might have started
it.
Mr. Walker praised A. H. Smith,
operator of a gravel pit near the
burning house, who brought more
than a dozen workers to aid firemen
in fighting the blaze. When equip
ment reached the scene, he said, Mr.
Smith already had backed truck
to the front porch Of the building
and he and his men were attempt
ing to get at the upper room where
the children were trapped.
The Alexandria fire, which broke
out between the walls of 1909 and
1911 Cameron street shortly before
noon, spread through the roof to
1907. which was the most seriously
damaged of the three.
Two companies responded, but the
volunteer firemen had to be notified
by telephone and word of mouth
while the apparatus without sirens
had to proceed through traffic more
/ slowly than usual