The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-01-22
No Sabotage In
Fire At Wells Plant
Continued from Page u

utes later or 2:57 a. m, Box 1415
located in Browns Meadows So
called was pulled and that Engine
companies /, 2, 4, 6, Truck No.
and the emergency car responded,
along with Chief. ThoS. F. Cava-
naugh; that a second alarm was
sent in by the chief, and three adj
ditional companies, Engines and
9, and Truck No. 2 answered, plus
members of the day shift, under
Deputy Chief Stephen ]. Bloomfield.
The building was mostly of wood,
although a brick addition had been
constructed or added some 80 years
ago or so. The roof was of tar and
gravel and tar paper; it was long
structure, about TIA it., and had a
width Of about IA TT. The first or
main floor comprised a picking tub
room, muffle or annealing furnace,
stock room, drawing machine de-
partment, machine shop, old ma
chine room, boiler room, several
small rooms and the main Office.
The basement contained the carpen-
ter shop, box making bureau, stor-
age space and the shipping room.
Our information was that the main
structure was over so years old, dry
and tinder-like. Outside easterly,
and within a few feet of the place,
was Gamewell peerless succession
fire alarm box, No. 1413, the glass
over the key being missing at the
fiYOnn thus olIitinVn1 &iV,oo
would have been saved had the
alarm been given from this point.
Waterman
The only person on the ground at
the time, so far as we were able to
learn, was Joseph Andolina, SO, the
Waterman. He is naturalized citi-
zen, and was employed in this par
ticular duty for the past year, and
before that was employed by the
same concern in various branches.
He held a good reputation, and was
classed as a first class workman.
Andolina insisted he first OBJ
served smoke in the vicinity of the
stock room, which was about IS feet
from the wood fired muffles. He had
made his 2 o'clock rounds, and ev-
erything appeared all right. But
the time occupied in making IL
rings, less than ten minutes, we
think, was rather short for making
complete and accurate survey OF
conditions. We believe the fire was
in progress at this time, but that
he was unable to distinguish be-
tween the odor from the muffles,
and the fire in the building. He
admitted there was a distinct smell
of burning wood from the muffles
nightly, and especially when the
f1reboX doors were opened and wood
applied. And unless the drafts were
in proper position. puff of smoke
and flame came through the open
doors. The lights went on each
time the Waterman made his
rounds.
After his 2 o'clock tour, as Gus
tomary. the Waterman returned to
the boiler room, located in the
northwest part of the building.
There he remained until he started
for the Office at or about the hour
of 2:45 a. m. On his way, he no.
ticed smoke in the rear, ran to the
office, caught up his overcoat, and
made for the fire box outside. The
glass in the box was gone, as noted,
and he simply turned the key; this
he explained was sufficient; he
failed to open the door, and pull
down the hook. He then left and
went to WATERFOWL avenue to await
the arrival of the Fire Dept, he
added. But before he went to the
street. and while standing at the
box. he observed flame in and about
the interior of the factory, and soon
the entire structure was involved.
The Bunker Hill Fire company, No
8, Is not far away, but just as soon
as that company received the alarm
from Headquarters, they noticed
the flare from their station. In the
meantime, two motor patrolmen,
John j. Walsh and Vincent Healey
arrived, and found the Waterman
in the alleyway leading to the fac
tory. The telephone message which
brought the firemen in the first in
stance was received from a nearby
neighbor, Joseph Bourassa, No. SAL
WATERFOWL avenue. The entire dis
trict was illuminated at this time,
and Fire Headquarters was called
time and again.
Old Building
AS we have related the building
was old in years and the wooden
flooring and timbers practically oil
soaked. Once fire occurred and
broke into fame, We feel, 1t could
not be saved from a serious dam
age. But in this case, the Fire De-
partment never had a chance TO
prove what 1t really can do under
most trying circumstances. There
was delay in the sending of the
alarm. and by the words OF the
Waterman himself, fame was
travelling along the lower portion
OF the structure. and eating its way
In all directions. Hydrant lines were
laid nv zach amino nnFananu nc a.