The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-11-05

authorized the trucks to answe
alarms. In the interest Of the ta1
payers Of the city, feel the polio
established by the council is a
v liberal as is justified at this TIM
provided this policy is adhered t
and human Life is protected.
Coroner, Asa W. Allen, who SAT-
he was informed the house wa
afire before anyone knew it, re
ported that no inquest would b
held into the death of the child.
Deputy Sheriff Charles P. Snow
who accompanied the coroner il
an investigation, said they fount
in the ashes of the house the re
mains of an oil hot water heater
from which the fire apparent,
originated" Snow quoted Pierce
as saying that Mrs. Pierce hae
told him she had cut off the heater
Is minutes before the fire got I'm
derway.
Snow, quoting Pierce, told thu
story of the fire in this way:
"Pierce and Harold Fox, who stay
ed in the house with him, were If
the front room and ut about
pm. young Shirley Pierce ran into
the room and told them the kitchen
was afire. Mr.. Pierce said they go1
up and went to the kitchen and
opened the door and the flames
shot out in their faces, seeming
to spread over the entire rear Of
the house at one time. He said
they had to back up from the
flames and then tried to enter the
room that Mrs. Moore occupied,
where the baby was.
"Piercs SAID the flames were sc
bad that they could not enter,
Snow continued. THE room was
unlocked and the door was open
He said they ran out the front door
around to an outside door thai
went into the child's room, and the
two, along with the Scott brothers
from a nearby service station
tried to push the door in. The
door then opened, causing a back
draft explosion that blew them anc
the door approximately II fee
from the dwelling.
pierce reported he then enter
led the door and attempted tt
reach the child, but the entire
room and bedclothing was afire
HE reached for the red-hot bed
stead and his left hand was badly
, blistered. He stated that if the
fire department had come the min
ute the fire started, neither the
! house nor the child could have
been saved. He said in his opinion
the whole house was enveloped II
flames within three minutes a1tel
the fire started.
investigation" the deputy de
lclared, Showed that the parti
|tions between the rooms were con
structed of plywood. Pierce SAID
Ibis wife and Mrs. Moore had gone
to a fruit stand, and before they
arrived there they heard persons
screaming there was fire. Be
fore they returned the entire house
was in flames"
Deputy Snow reported that Fox
told substantially the same story
| Pierce's injuries consisted of 8
lseverely burned left hand, cut or
1.-The right knee and singed hair
|Snow said. Fox was burned about
the face and hands. Both were
treated and released from James
Walker Memorial hospital.
Mrs. Moore, suffering from
shock, was carried to the hospital
The report of Nichols investi
CATION follows in full:
The report in this Morning
Star of the fire last night in Sun
set Park involving the death of {
child, and the lack of any re
spouse Of the city's fire depart
ment, calls for some Qualification
of the city's position. In regard tt
the use Of it's fire department out
side the city limits.
For sometime prior to Decem
Der, 1912, no use of the equip
ment outside was permitted, ex
cept the schools and hospitals
where life might be endangered
At that time, however, the council
broadened the use outside the Ii
mits by authorizing calls also Il
be answered to industrial plants
and, on condition of payment o
some proper charge, to any fir
within reasonable distance OF tn,
city limits.
This was covered by a memo
randum issued by this office stat
ing, in addition, that "the manag
er or the mayor may give yol
authority to answer such calls a
may be necessary, however,
neither of these officials can b,
contacted then you are free to us,
your own Judgment