Evening star., 1951-12-03
Montgomery Probes
Three-AIarm Fire at
Takoma Park College

vestigating a three-alarm blaze
which virtually destroyed the at
!! tic floor of the science building at
Washington Missionary College
in Takoma Park last night.
Four firemen and a student
were overcome by smoke. They
were treated and released at
Washington Sanitarium, which
adjoins the Seventh Day Advent
lSt college.
Two faculty members and
about Is students, including some
goods. rescued valuable equipment
and material from the burning
building. w. H. Sheppard. presi-
dent of the college. estimated dam
age to the building at $25, 900 and
said about $4,000 worth of equip
ment was lost.
Six Companies Respond.
Fire Marshal Charles G. Howe's
investigation is centering around
a Storeroom in the third floor
attic. where containers Of highly
inf1ammable chemicals were kept.
The fire was concentrated in the
storeroom, although there were no
audible explosions, Mr.. Howe said.
Six fire companies responded to
the three alarms, which were
rung at 6:2l, 6:23 and 6:27.
The firemen were able to con-
fine the flames to the attic sec
tion of the 45-year-old building.
The first and second floors of
the building suffered considerable
water damage. A three-story
addition. recently completed on
the rear of the old building, was
only slightly damaged.
The fire was first reported by
Mrs. Dale Cornor, 1904 Carroll
avenue, Takoma Park. a gradu-
ate nurse at the sanitarium. She
said she saw flames shooting out
Of ventilating hood in the attic.
| The only person believed to
have been in the building at the
time was L. w. Botimer. chemistry
instructor at the college. He
was working In the chemistry
laboratory on the second floor,
right under the place where the
| fire started.
He did not realize the building
was on fire until two students
rushed in with the news. He then
helped students move equipment
from the old part of the building,
under the burning attic, to the
new addition. Mr.. Botimer said
there were about five gallons each
of alcohol. acetone, benzene and
toluene in the storcroom.
! Other students and Prof. Gayle
H. Nelson, acting head OF the
biology department. moved equip
ment from the first floor to the
library next door.
t Two Of the students, Carl
Markstrom and Ray Damazo,
rescued some valuable specimens
which Prof. Nelson has been COL
lecting for years.
| A skeleton also was removed
from the building.
| Baltimore Student Overcome.
! Another of the students, Samuel
E. D'Angelo, 81. of Baltimore, was
overcome by smoke and required
treatment at the hospital. So did
four flremen-Eugene Helbert. %,
i of Rockville. a member of the
Silver Spring Fire Department;
Robert F. Groshon of Rockville,
also Of the Silver Spring depart
ment; Earl w. Thomas, 80, of
1910 Willow avenue, Takoma
Park, Of that city's fire depart
ment. and Earnest r. Haberland,
"a. Of 10616 Mantz road. Silver
Spring. Of the Hillandale Fire De-
partment.
The fire departments which
fought the blaze were from Ia
koma Park, Silver Spring, Hillan-
dale, Mount Rainier, Kensington
and Chevy Chase. The Bethesda
Chevy Chase and Takoma Park
rescue squads also answered the
alarms.
Other students who rescued
equipment from the burning wood
and concrete structure included
Richard Hayes, Charles Osborne,
Bruce Bergherm. Howard Morse
and Charles Thomas.
Some of the firemen had to be
diverted from the college fire to
put out a blaze at the Electrik
Maid Bake Shop. 1000 Carroll
avenue. Takoma Park. That fire.
quickly extinguished. momentarily
threatened the Lincoln Loan Co.
Office next door.