Evening star., 1949-07-05
Police Seeking
Arson Clues in
100000 Fire
Lumber Yard Rozed
At Silver Spring, 50
.Firemen Injured
Pictures on Page BIZ

Police and flremen today
searched smoking ruins of a Sill
yer Spring lumberyard for evi-
dence to support theory that q
flrebug set the $4,000 Fourth Of
July blaze.
At least so firemen were over
come or injured in a futile at
tempt to save the block-sQuars
plant of the Silver Spring Build
ing Supply Co., Inc, one block
west of Georgia avenue at Ripley
street.
While two fire companies still
sprayed the blackened remains to-
day, Joseph R. Griffin. company
president, announced plans to re-
build the yard. He said recon-
would take six weeks.
The firm was fully covered by in
Silver Spring Fire Chief John
A. ellison, who estimated the
damage, said the State fire mar
shal might be called into a three
pronged investigation of possible
arson. Montgomery County De-
tective Sergt. Carroll Miller went
over the scene today with a fire
underwriters association repre-
sentative, while Silver Spring Fire
Marshal George Tavenner began
another investigation.
II Pieces of Apparatus on Hand.
Attracted by 125-foot flames
seen for miles away. about $4,000
spectators braved the combined.
summer and fire heat to watch
hundreds of f1remen fight against
tremendous odds.
Discovered at 5:28 pm, the
community'S greatest confiagra-
tion was under control two hours
later, but not before 72 pieces Of
apparatus had gone into action.
Nineteen companies came from
Montgomery County, six from
Prince Georges and 10 pieces from
the District. Their combined
efforts failed to save five frame
warehouses, a brick mill house and
thousands of feet OF lumber. The
firms offices. about block away
at 1904 Ripley street, was not
damaged.
Much of the fire fighting was
concentrated on nearby homes and
though some houses were evacu-
ated and furniture removed as O
precautionary measure, all were
saved.
Is Doctors Assist Injured.
As firemen began dropping from
the dense smoke and intense heat,
about Is county physicians and
staff doctors at the Bethesda Naval
Medical Center were summoned to
administer first aid. Women
served the f1remen coffee and
doughnuts and ice water.
Motorists returning from holi-
day junkets saw smoke miles away.
One man reported seeing the heavy
pail in Frederick, 40 miles away.
The heavy holiday traffic was
backed up for miles. No traf1ic
was permitted on Georgia avenue
between Colesville road and the
East-West Highway for nearly five
hours. All available county and
State police were summoned to
reroute the mass of vehicles.
The arson theory arose from
the fact that there were no shaw
ings or electrical wiring in a mill
shed where the fire was believed
to have originated. The millshed
is open at two ends. but all other
buildings had been locked since
Saturday.
Among the families removing
their furniture were Mr.. and Mrs.
John Stecklein, and their daugh-
ter, Miss Ann Alder, 27, of 1106
Bonifant street.
~ of Injured Were Volunteers.
Occupying the same home were
Mr.. and Mrs. Chris Kronebitter,
who were visiting a daughter, Mrs.
Edith Thompson, 9312 Glenville
road. Seeing the smoke, they
rushed back and helped neighbors
clear the furniture.
All except one of the injured or
overcome firemen were volunteers,
some of whom had departed hur-
riedly from independence Day
parades to fight fire in their dress
uniforms. All except 10 were
taken to the Silver Spring fire.
house in relays of six ambulances
and given first aid.
Ten were treated at Washing
ton Sanitarium. Treated for in
juries were Hans Peppel and VIII
liam Flagg, Takoma Park Volun-
teer Fire Department; William
Ward, Silver Spring Department;
Stephen La Scola, Naval Ordnance
Laboratory Fire Department, and
Edward Dobbs of Brentwood Vol
unteer Fire Department.
At the Silver Spring firehouse
Chief Edward j. Sackett Of the
Chevy Chase Department was
treated for smoke inhalation; VIII
liam Weaver of the same company
for facial burns and Peter Stew
art, Silver Spring station, arm
burns.
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