Evening star., 1953-08-14
DC. Moves 10 Outlaw
Icebox Death Traps
Killing II Children

Jared by the Su1ocat1on
deaths of IL small children in
abandoned ice boxes in Virginia,
Arkansas and Massachusetts,
within two days, the DIS
trict is taking rapid steps to pre-
vent similar tragedies here.
Yesterday, when the toll was
nine, Commissioner Renah F.
Camalier ordered the city'S
chief health engineer to conduct
an immediate study looking to-
ward regulations that would re-
quire destruction of old ice
boxes, or at least making them
harmless to children.
Calling attention to the fact
that children in the Metropoli-
tan Area in recent years have
suffered a similar fate, CommiS-
sioner Camalier issued this
warning:
It call upon the people of
Washington and it's suburbs to
take every precaution against
such tragedies as have befallen
the two families in Richmond
and Proctor, Ark.
Job Goes to Carey.
IF this means destroying or
dismantling unused ice boxes,
and other receptacles that can
be converted into death-traps,
then it should be done"
Charged with the job of COM
ing up with recommendations
for regulatory action is William
H. Cary, jr., director of the pub
lie health engineering bureau.
Mr.. Cary, who is also a MEM
ber of the District Regulations
Committee, reported that the
city now lacks a law to outlaw
abandoned ice boxes in places
available to children.
And. he said, the danger is
sufficient to merit adoption OF |
preventive regulations.
Co-Operative Effort Failed.
"These abandoned boxes are
more of a menace than escaping |
refrigerator gas" Mr.. Cary said,
referring to recent polsonlngS
here from that source.
He said that, once before,
dealers who buy old ice boxes
tried, but failed, to get together
on means to remove the danger
on their premises. He indicated
that he will now aim for regula-
tions that will include not only
these dealers but other indi-
viduals careless about leaving
such equipment accessible to
children.
Mr.. Cary is expected to make
recommendations to Commls-
sioner Camalier sometime next
week. Mr.. Camalier is In direct
charge of health and welfare
matters.
Trade Group Calls Meeting.
Meanwhile C. w. Phillips,
president of the Refrigerator
Trade Association of America,
called q special open meeting at
the Ambassador Hotel Tuesday |
to deal with the abandoned re-
frigerator death trap" problem.
The association has member
groups in Baltimore, Washing
ton, Richmond. Montgomery,
Ala, and WinSton-S Salem, N. c.
It's membership of 200, Mr.. Phil
lips said, includes mechanics.
contractors, wholesalers and
manufacturers in the refrlgera-
tion industry.
ANY one with any ideas at all
on what we should do to elm
mate the hazard of children
locking themselves in unused
or discarded boxes should come
to the meeting" Mr.. Phillips
said.
Mr.. Phillips said that the as
Sociation's members will remove
or destroy the lock of any aban-
doned refrigerator without cost.
Alert to the danger of dis
carded iceboxes, city and county |
officials as we'll as a private stor-
age company and the TeamsterS
Union offered services to remove |
the unused boxes from homes.
In the DiStrict-William Kan |
ten, director of sanitation, said
his men will pick up the iceboxeS
and dump them or turn them
over to junkmen. A similar drive |
to get rid of the boxes two years
ago, Mr.. Xanten said, resulted
IT, NA/~~LL~