Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-12-06
4 Elderly Women
Die in Blaze al
Maryland Rest Home
b B
Xxx
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Continued From First Page.)
listing of names was only tenta-
tive. They said all were given
sedatives when they were brought
in about am.
Mrs. Lawana Dickinson. oper-
ator of the rest home. said the
fire was discovered by a night
nurse, Mrs. Margaret Hedrlck,
about 3:45 am.
Room Checked at 8 AM.
Mrs. Hedrick said she had
checked the room where the
fire broke out about 3 am, and
that it was all right at that
time. About $40 am, she
heard someone shouting, and
then she smelled smoke. ran to
the room to investigate and
found it burning.
Mrs. Hedrick suffered minor
injuries when she fell down some
stairs while helping patients out
of the home.
Mrs. Elsie Snyder, another
nurse, suffered smoke exhaus-
ton and was admitted to WASH
ington Sanitarium.
After the alarm was turned
in Mrs. Dickinson and Mrs He'd
rick attempted unsuccessfully to
put out the fire with hand ex-
tinguishers.
Mrs. Dickinson said eight of
the patients were confined to
their beds and had to be car
ried bodily from the building
into the chill air. One was suf-
ferlng from pneumonia. She
said they were taken to nearby
service building until they could
be removed to hospitals.
Police Sergt. Clarence B.
Crown said the first officers on
the scene were Pvts. Henry Da-
Wis and James P. Furlough. They
Immediately reported to head
quarters that several persons
were trapped in the blazing
structure. and called for help.
Pvts. Pearson and Marion
Nicewanger arrived next.
He said he grabbed a gas mask
and rushed into a room above
the center of the fire.
He carried DR.. Hampson out
and then went back into the
building and carried out Miss
Billmeyer.
The fire was confined to the
one sleeping room, flremen said,
and was out by 4::30 am.
Helped Evacuate Home.
Wilson Jordan, who lives
across the street, said he heard
a commotion about am. and
rushed outside. He said he and
another neighbor, w. j. Glenn
ents. helped evacuate the home.
A. Morton Thomas, jr., chief
of the Montgomery County De-
partment of Inspecticns-which
inSpects such homes for licens-
ing-was on the scene shortly
after the fire broke out.
After a meeting with other
members of the staff at the home
today, Mr.. Thomas said it ap-
peared in good enough shape to
continue operation. State off,
Gals were to inspect it later to-
day, but Mr.. Thomas said they
normally follow county recon-
mendations.
He said temporary sleeping
quarters for some of the patients
would be set up in the dining
hall.
Mr. Thomas, who was called to
the scene by Fire Marshal
Charles H. Howe, jr.. called in E.
w. Bucklin, chief of the Division
Of Zoning Permits and Licenses;
Clinton F. Wadford. senior cleo
trical inspector. and Mrs. Virginia
Maxwell, representing the State
and County health departments
in inspecting nursing homes.
Limited to One Wing.
Mr.. Thomas said alertness Of
the homes staff limited the fire
to the one wing. He said when
the blaze was discovered. they
closed a door leading to the
main building and cut of q
draft.
Mr.. Thomas said the rest home
already has contracted for an
automatic sprinkler system and
that would have been in opera