Evening star., 1945-02-01

Garry Homes Unit
Ruined, One Injured :
In Bethesda BIoze
Five fires in the Washington area
within the last "a tours-three In
yolvtng Bethesda area homes. one 4
unit in the Carry Houses develop
ment at Suitland, Md, and the fifth
q taxicab stand in Alexandria-re-
suited in injuries to Bethesda coll
ored man and left several families
The Carry Houses fire today de-
stroyed one unit of a three-unit
apartment at 2714 Forty third place,
f1remen reported, and forced the
families occupying the other units
from the building. The fire started
IN the apartment occupied by CorpI.
Herbert H. Harper, whose family
was away at the time.
Some Furr rishings Saved.
Firemen said furnishings from the
other units were carried to safety.
They said the loss was estimated at
about $500.
Corpl. Harper was on duty at the
Camp Springs Army Air Base and
his wife was at her job at the Gen.
sus Bureau at Suitland. Their 5.
year-old son was at a nursery school.
The flre was attributed to an over.
heated coal heater.
The Capitol Heights, District
Heights, Boulevard Heights, Forest
vile and Hillside volunteer FIRE de-
partments announced the alarm.
G. L. Reynolds, deputy chief of
the Hillside department, criticized
flre-f1ghting facilities at the hous-
ing development, operated by the
National Capital Housing Authority.
He said firemen were hampered by
a shortage of fire plugs and were
forced to lay one hose a distance of
l,60O feet and second hose for a
distance OF 300 feet in order to
reach the fire.
Second Fire in Month.
The fire is the second at the hous-
ing development within the last
month. A 4-year -old boy was
burned to death there three weeks
ago today when he and his play.
mates set fire with matches.
Following this tragedy, residents
OF the project banded together in an
attempt to obtain fire-fighting
equipment from the NCHA. At a
meeting last night they were in
formed by NCHA officials that a
limited number of chemical fire ex-
unguishers and lengths of garden
hose could be provided but that
regular flrehose was unobtainable.
At present the 204-unit project,
built Of prefabricated plywood' Sec
tions, has but five fireplugs and de-
pends on volunteer fire departments
In the area for protection. The
apartments are heated by individual
coal-burning heaters.
In the Bethesda blaze yesterday,
f1remen reported that flames orig
mating In the basement of the six
room house of Mr.. and Mrs. Richard
F. Clagett, 1905 Battery lane, Be-
thesda, spread to the second floor
and attic. causing damages estimat-
ed at $500.
Invalid Daughter Rescued.
According to f1remen, the blaze
was discovered by Mr.. Clagett, who
first attempted to put it out with a
garden hose. Most Of the furnish
ings on the first floor of the house
were saved by the owner and neigh
bors, f1remen reported
Mr.. Clagett's invalid daughter.
Marjorie, %, who was in a second-
floor bedroom, was carried to safety
by her father. it was reported.
While the Chevy Chase Volunteer
Fire Department was assisting the
Bethesda department at the Clagett
home fire, another blaze, caused by
an overheated fireplace, caused
about 500 damage to the home Of
w. H. Moore, 106 Oxford street,
Chevy Chase. firemen said. This
f1re was put out by the Silver Spring
Volunteer Fire Department.
Man Treated for Burns.
Earlier, fire at the home of Jacob
Hayes, "a, colored, at 6045 River
road, Bethesda, caused damages es-
timated at $500, firemen said.
MIR. Hayes suffered first and sec.
ond degree burns on the arms while
attempting to put out the flames.
He was treated at the Suburban
Hospital. Bethesda, where his condi-
ton was described as satisfactory.
Firemen said the fire was caused by
an overheated Oil stove.
In Alexandria the Yellow Cab
stand in the 100 block of North st.
Asaph street was damaged last night
by flames, thought by firemen to
have been caused by defective wir-
ing. No estimate of damage was
given.
The location of the cab stand has
been the object of criticism by Alex
andria residents for several months.