Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-11-14

missed a scheduled broadcast
MS.
The fire which apparently
started in the back studio Of
the station located in the Ed
wards building completely bur-
ned the back studio, the record
library and swept into other
portions of the station damag-
ing the control room and the
equipment therein.
Damage in Thousands
Station Manager AL Drew said
late yesterday afternoon that
the extent of the damages had
not been determined, but that
they would run into several
thousands of dollars"
Drew said that the insurance
adjustor, who arrived in the
city late Saturday afternoon and
went Immediately to the Faison-
Ogletree agency, which has the
insurance on the station, would
make the final appraisal Of
damages.
The fire was discovered by
Police Officer J. Y. Duffy, who
was making an early morning
routine check of the North End
business section. He immediate
ly notified police headquarters
and the first alarm was turned
in at 1:55 a. m.
Volunteer firemen reused
from their beds rushed to the
scene and found the blaze rag
ing in the rear end Of the build
ing.
A short time later a second
alarm was turned in and a sec
ond truck was dispatched to the
scene.
Flames leaped though the
rear windows Of the building
and were as high as the second
story OF the building at times.
Fed by the combustible mate
rial from the photograph re-
cords the blaze ragged and for
a short time firemen had a diff
ficult job bringing it under con-
troll. Two streams Of water were
played into the rear end of the
building and huge pillows of
smoke rolled from the windows.
Three streams Of water were
played into the blazing build
ing and the fire was finally
extinguished and the firemen
returned to the station about
s. a. m. ---,.-.-
Actual fire damage was con-
) fined to the space occupied by
the radio station, though heat
and smoke caused minor dam
age to David's Clothing store
next door.
Two Injured
Two firemen received minor
injuries fighting the blaze. HUI
bert Brewer received a cut on
his arm from a piece Of glass
and Herman Thompson had
slight hose burns.
Rumors spread among the
large number of people, who
gathered along Roanoke Avenue
to watch the firefighters, that
an explosion was heard prior
to the blaze. However, the re-
ports could not be confirmed
and Drew said he knew of no.
thing in the rear of the studio
which would explode.
Before the fire was finally
extinguished, Drew and mem
bers of the station personnel,
who gathered at the blaze, were
making plans for getting back
on the air.
Two transcription turntables
were salvaged from the burned
station and some other equip
ment.
The stations remote-contrSl
equipment was at the transmit
ter at the time of the fire and
it was rugged to take broadcasts
direct from the transmitter on
East Tenth Street where oper-
atoms have been resumed.
Drew expressed his apprecia-
ton to all persons who had
) helped in getting the station
: back on the air after the blaze.
: He praised the station person.
1 mel, the firemen and "all of the
s people who helped us get par
/, tally Strengthened out"
t The station manager said that
t for the present operations will
continue from the transmitter
:. and that all persons who ap-
a peared on programs should re-
i port to the transmitter house
: on East Tenth Street. He added,
that present plans call for re-
turning to our old location as
p soon as the renova' ms can be
I made"