Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-04-07

OIX-AI0Tm DloZe
Showers Embers on
Oxon Hill School
Fire last night destroyed SO
acres Of Oxon Hill (Md.) woods,
as 200 volunteer f1remen fought
successfully to save four homes
and a school threatened by the
blaze.
The six-alarm fire, which
brought every company in that
part Of Prince Georges County
into action, showered embers and
sparks on the Oxon Hill Elemen-
tary School in the 1900 block of
Livingston road and on four
frame houses a block east.
No one was hurt.
Firemen said the trouble
started with a controlled" fire
being used to clean out scrub
growth on the site of a real es-
tate development at Livingston
road and Indian Head highway.
After Firemen Left.
The Oxon Hill Fire Depart
ment had been sent to stand by
the area at 4:52 pm. It re-
turned to the fire house at 6:04.
Forty-one minutes later, the
Oxon Hill chief called in the
first and second alarms Fire
trucks from the District Heights.
Morningside. Silver Hill and
Allentown Road Departments
converged on the scene.
Unable to take hose lines into
the deep woods, the f1remen
waited for the fire to come to
them, as it burned westward
toward Livingston road and a
dirt road leading off it.
A third alarm pulled in the
Accokeek and Boulevard Heights
Departments. They stopped the
rampage about IS feet from the
roads, pouring on water pumped
by three truck relays from
hydrants in front of the school
q quarter of a mile away
Embers Rain on Houses.
The wind, which had been
averaging 20 miles an hour, hit
gusts as high as 80 miles per
hour and lifted burning leaves
and twigs across Livingston road
to a wooded area about 500 yards
away. adjacent to the school.
Embers rained on the frame
houses. which at that time were
almost exactly between the two
parts of the fire. .Firemen played
their hoses on the roofs and
saved the buildings.
The fourth, fifth and sixth
alarms were turned in then,
bringing Capitol Heights, Hill
side, Seat Pleasant. Marlboro.
F'orrestville and Clinton men and
equipment.
Fire-f1ghters, staving of the
first section with one hand,
fought the second section by set
ing back fires-controlled blazes
intended to stop the forest fire
by burning up its fuel before it
could get to it.
Twice the back-f1res were
started: twice the wind shifted
and the fire leaped ahead.
1OO-FOot Flames.
AS the flames leaped as high
as 100 feet in the air, firemen
hauled their hoses to the roof
Of the school, where embers as
big as dollar bills had been car
ried, according to Assistant Chief
LCalzi Of Capitol Heights.
They saved that building, but
were forced to let the fire burn
to the roads edge, where they
could play water on it. At the
height Of the battle, between
1000 and 5000 feet of 2h-inch
hose line had been laid out by
the 10 engines at work.
About 8:45 pm. large drops
Of rain began to fall, dampening
down the charred wood, which
was still full of fire.
In the threatened houses,
residents found themselves with
dooryard trees ablaze, burning
fragments pouring down and
their sons and friends wetting
down the roofs.
Confident in Volunteers.
Mrs. Stanley Bliss, 6471 Liv-
ingston road. had two sons
Stanley and Wayne-with the
Oxon Hill volunteers. They put
out flames in the cedar trees
in front Of the house and parked
their engine reassuringly in the
driveway.
Was she afraid? mot with
Oxon Hill sitting there, no." Mrs.
Bliss declared. when 1 saw that
red truck coming, I really felt
good"
Another volunteer, Jimmy Col
Inns. 18. was at the fire house
when the alarm came in. He soon
found himself back home at 648l
Livingston road. helping to save
his house. Also endangered were
the homes Of Miss Josephine
Flaherty. 6501 Livingston road,
and one occupied by Mr.. and
Mrs. John A. Maddox, at 640l.
Did You knnw That