Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-01
III Hurt as Blast and Fire Rock
Post Office Department BIdq.

I0f the POStOftlce Department Build
ing when he heard a report of fire.
He was running down an eighth
floor corridor in the FEC section
when the first explosion hurled
him about SO feet. The second
explosion threw him back again
for several feet.
Rescued by Firemen.
He CROPPED his way to a barred
window and stood gasping in the
binding smoke until f1remen
reached him with a gas mask. He
then was led to safety. ,, ..
His hands and head were cut
and his hair singed.
Mr.. Trail explained that four
transformers are in the section
where the fire apparently began.
He said he believed that only two
of the transformers were involved
in the explosions.
w. F.. Airey, 1875 Childress
street NV, an electrician in the
building, was on the eighth floor
near the southwest corner when
he first noticed smoke creeping
into corridor. He was trying to
locate its source when he heard
an explosion like a cannon
shot,"
After turning in an alarm he
started down a stairway to warn
employees. The heavy smoke made
him dizzy but he managed to
guide flremen and to caution them
to be careful because the explo-
sion apparently was electrical"
He reported that he heard four
or five rapid explosions.
Arthur Mann, assistant super
intendent of the building, had
part of his hair singed off but was
uninjured otherwise.
A Post Office official reported
that a woman elevator operator
was caught between floors when
all electric power failed. She was
rescued a few minutes later be-
cause the elevator car was near
the floor.
Although Government workers
said the fire was discovered a few
minutes before 10 am, electric
clocks on the walls were stopped
at 1918 am.
Reporters climbing eight flights
of darkened and smoke filled
stairs with f1remen found one Sec
ton Of the top floor almost
wrecked by the explosion and wa
ter was at least an inch deep on
the sixth and seventh floor.
The Fire Board at Silver Spring
reported the Bethesda Chevy
Chase rescue squad and two am
balances responded.
Section Burned in 1895.
In the 1885 fire, a section of the
$11, 900. 900 building was swept by
six-alarm blaze and sent 40
firemen to the hospital.
The fire marshal at that time,
Calvin G. LAUDER, said the fire was
caused by heat from an unpro-
tected light bulb on q stack of
open files.
AS a result. c. E. Schrom, who
was fire chief then, attacked the
practice Of storing papers loosely
in Government Offices and Presi-
dent Roosevelt said District fire
fighters should be given authority
to inspect Federal Buildings.
U. S. Has Own Marshal Now.
The Presidents suggestion was
not carried out but subsequently
the Federal Government got its
own fire marshal in the Federal
Works Agency.
The 1885 blaze attracted all the
fire apparatus in the District and
volunteer companies from sur
rounding communities were sum-
moned to man some of the empty
engine houses.
Emergency Hospital became so
crowded with firemen that some of
the firemen were put on cots in
the basement and others assigned
three to a room on upper floors.
Water damage was extensive.
The Postmaster Generals elab-
crate reception room, located three
floors below the fire-swept filing
room, showed the effects of water
seepage.