Evening star., 1947-12-25
Gen.Youngto Propose
EmergeneyDemo|i
Fire Department Unit
mas Eve.

Engineer Commissioner Gordon
r. Young will propose to the board
of city heads that the District
consider establishment of spe-
cial unit in the Fire Department
trained and equipped to carry out
emergency demolition work for the
city. it was learned today.
The need for such unit, Gen.
Young agreed, was demonstrated in
the collapse December l6 of the
Empire Apartments, Ninth street
and New York avenue NV. Re-
coverv of bodies buried in the
structure was delayed several days
after the Fire Department proved
unable to cope with the Job. A
private concern, the Pines Wreck
ing Co.. finally undertook to clear
the debris.
All Died sin Minutes"
Meanwhile, work of clearing the
wrecked building was at tempo
rary standstill today as officials
expressed the belief that all bodies
had been removed from the debris.
Offering some solace to relatives
of three persons buried in the ruins
was a statement by Coroner A.
Magruder Macdonald that all died
'in a matter of minutes after the
seven-story structure caved in De-
cember 16.
The last of the bodies, that of
Mrs. K. B. Van Sickler, IS, was
removed Tuesday night. DR.. Mac
Doralds death certificate said she
and two others whose bodies were
removed. Monday. Ernest Dorsey
A, and Joseph M, Smith, 10, died
of suffocation.
Mrs. Van Sickler's death was
caused by compression of the neck
and chest and the two men dieo
from compression of the chest, DR.
Macdonald said. The coroner die
not elaborate on certain cuts, bruises
and fractures found in his examina
ton.
Inquest to Wait Report.
He said an inquest will be held
after investigators have reported on
the cause of the collapse That
probably will be several weeks from
now, since clearing of the building
will proceed slowly after work is
resumed tomorrow.
Funeral services for Mrs. Van
Sickler will be he held at noon to-
morrow in the Lee funeral home
Fourth street and Massachusetts
avenue NV. Burial will be in Lees
burg, Va. Private services will be
held in the same funeral home fol-
Mr.. Smith.
Gen. Young said he hoped the
removal of debris would be fal
enough along Saturday night sc
traffic can move normally again or
streets adjoining the building.
A five-man committee Investigate
ing the cave-in told Gen. Young, ir
a preliminary report, that its atten-
ton has centered on remains of 8
huge pillar on the first floor, be.
lieved to have supported five i'm
portant structural beams.
A pile of ruhble covers the spot
where the pillar stood and it will
require a day or more of digging
to uncover the supposedly vita
structure.
Original Plans Not Found.
The investigating board noted il
han been unsuccessful in locating
original plans or blueprints of the
54-year-old building and that it is
attempting to reach tenants of the
building at the time alterations
were made.
Murray Shipp, president of the
Pines company, called yesterday
for blishment of District dis
aster squad" similar to the one
contemplated by Gen. Young. He
thought it should be an independent
agency in the municipal setup.
The Engineer Commissioner said
however, he feels such a unit coule
function best in association with
the Fire Department. He said hi
would propose that Chief Clement
Murphy to investigate the extent t
which a demolition unit could bt
used in the Fire Department.
That is the real question" Gen
Young said. "Of course it woule
not be practicable to keep such {
unit waiting around maybe Is year
for another building to fall down
When there is a disaster of tina
sort we can use municipal wreck
ing crew to good effect, but we can
not maintain one in the meanwhile