Evening star., 1949-11-02
Inquiry Board Quizze,
Postal Department
Workers About Fire

A Federal inquiry board today
questioned all Post Office Depart
ment Building employees who
might be able to explain the pos
sible cause of fire and explo-
sions that tore through the two
top floors of the $11 100000 struc-
ture and injured more than a
dozen men.
The investigation probably will
require another day or two,
Charles A. Peters. deputy COM
missioner of public buildings, said.
Damage estimates have ranged
unoficially between 100000 and
100000. Mr.. Peters declared
this was "guesswork." Authori-
tative estimates will not be avail
able until structural engineers
complete thorough examination,
he said.
Treated at Hospital.
Only two of the seven firemen
and four civilians treated at
Emergency Hospital after the fire
and series of blasts yesterday were
still there today. Their condition
was reported not serious. Another
five men were treated for minor
cuts or temporary effects of smoke
at the scene of the fire.
Loss of valuable Federal Com
munications Commission records
apparently was less than had been
feared, although hundreds Of
pieces Of paper and other material
were blown out of windows or
otherwise destroyed.
Records of radio and television
licenses, applications and files
seem to be intact, William p. Mas-
sing, chief of the FEC license diyi-
sion, reported after a survey. Much
OF the other material blown away
or covered by debris probably can
be replaced by duplicates. he
added.
Stamp Collection Undamaged.
The Post Office Departments
$50, 100000 stamp collection on the
sixth floor of the eight-story
building on Pennsylvania avenue
between Twelfth and Thirteenth
streets NV. was undamaged. The
Interstate Commerce Commission
occupying the southern section of
the building. was not greatly af-
fected, except for temporary in
convenience when lights went out
and elevators stopped running.
FEC and other employees re-
ported for work as usual this
morning but many of them were
allowed to return home because
their offices were too greatly dam
aged either by effects Of the fire
and explosions or by smoke and
water. The FEC legal division
Offices were the hardest hit on the
eighth and seventh floors.
The inquiry board, appointed by
Mr.. Peters. consists of j. w. Dun
ham, assistant chief Of the Pub
lie Buildings Administration
structural division; l.. M. Endres,
chief electrical engineer in the
PBA building management divi-
sion; Nathan G. Baker, chief Of
PBA safety and fire prevention,
and F.. ]. Miller of the PBA con-
struction division.
Robert D. Trussell, PBA fire
marshal, is working with this
board.
While District fire officials are
cooperating, Fire Marshal Ray
mond C. Roberts said he is not
making an official investigation
He commented that he is "satis-
fed as to what caused" the fire
and explosion but that he would
have nothing to say until the
Federal investigators made then
report.
| Several Post Office Department
Building engineers and electri-
clans said the trouble started In
the electrical transformer ane
master switch section on thu
leighth floor near the Pennsylvania
avenue and Thirteenth street cor
ner.
| One engineer said the series o1
three or four blasts might hav'
resulted from short circuit thai
touched Of explosions Of oil
around the transformers.
Ofhcials declared that the In.
| iI1rv t0lI world have hoen fa1