Evening star., 1947-02-21
Fires
(Continued From First Page.)

the Rockville Fire Department
which later asked the other two
departments to assist.
Occupants of the house had beer
awakened by an invalid boarder
Miss Harry Ofutt, Sc, who pounded
on the wall with her cane when she
smelled smoke. Harry Dodson, %
another boarded, helped Miss Offutt
out on a porch roof and supported
her until she was rescued by fire.
men.
"A 93-year- old woman, known only
as Mrs. Wallace, was carried to
safety by firemen.
Mrs. King was draped in blankets
and was carried down ladder by
Capt. Harry Beane, jr.; Assistant
Chief william F. Bond and William
Simmons Of the Rockville depart
|ment.
MIR. Beane was slightly burned and
Capt. Valentine Wilson, jr., also OF
the Rockville department, received
lacerations about the legs while
conducting rescue operations.
Ankle Sprained in Jump.
MIR. King sprained an ankle and was
cut about the legs when he jumped
or fell from window. Her father
|Stauzy L. King, who was recuperat-
ing from a broken leg he had re-
ceived last summer, and his mother
were able to walk to safety.
Firemen removed strong box
containing funds of the Rockville
Methodist Church. which were In
the custody of Miss Mary B. Gar
rett, church treasurer.
Occupants, some clad only in bed
clothing, wrappers and coats, fled
without attempting to take money
or other belongings. The two un-
identified infants were cared for
on the spot by the Welfare Depart
ment, then taken to a neighbor's
house.
Neighbors temporarily took in the
other homeless also. Most were
taken to the home of Mrs. Frank
c. Snyder, who also furnished coffee
for f1remen.
Virtually nothing was salvaged
from the house.
Mayor G. La Mar Kelly, jr, OF
Rockville, announced he will imn1e-
diately open an investigation into
the fire, the exact origin of which
had not been determined this
afternoon.
He said that he does not know
lust what ordinances the town has
respecting the inspection of board
ing houses, but he believes that more
ordinances probably are needed"
He said that he is going to confer
with Town Engineer John G. Nc
Donald and F. Bernard Welsh, jr.,
son of the town attorney. MIR.
Welsh, ST., Is in Florida.
$150,0O0 Loss at Laurel.
The Laurel fire was at the CORFU
gated iron-covered plant Of the
Maryland Manufacturing Co., mile
south of the town. At one time, an
adjoining paint shop was blown
apart by loud explosion. Debris
was flung high in the air and landed
on a Bowie fire truck.
Fire companies from 10 towns were
hampered by lack of water. The
plant, which manufactures wood and
metal truck bodies, is located beyond
the town water main limits. Fire
men pumped water from Laurel
Lake.
High winds also worked against
firemen as the flames swept through
the metal-covered building. In ad-
dition to machinery and equipment,
20 truck bodies, completed except
for painting, were destroyed, ac-
cording to President H. G. Halter.
He estimated the loss at $50, 900.
Nearby piles of lumber were saved
by firemen.
The blaze was discovered about
$50 pm. by the night watchman.
Companies fighting the fire includ-
ed those from Bladensburg, Cottage
City, Laurel, Hyattsville, Mount
Rainier, Branchville, Bowie, River
dale, College Park and Berwyn
Heights.
The one-story building on the
Washington Baltimore boulevard
was built in 1886 and was 200 feet
long and 80 feet wide. An adjoining
paint shop was about 100 feet long
and so feet wide.
During the war, the company man
ufactured truck bodies for the Gov
ernment. -