Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-21

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road. about two blocks west Of
Soldiers Home near the inter-
section Of Park road and Geor.
gia avenue. More than so per-
sons fed from their homes.
Police said a seven-year-old
boy started the fire while play
ing with matches.
The mass Of fire equipment
responding to the afternoon
fire damned traffic in both di-
rections along Georgia avenue
and prompted the transit COM
pany to start a supplementary
bus service to bypass hose
elogged Georgia avenue.
The roof and part Of the up
per facade Of the Trinity
A. M. e. Zion Church at 627
Park road NV. was SCARED by
the flames. Before the FIRE was
brought under control. flames
were seen bursting from q bel
fry on the church roof.
Firemen Save Residents
Severely damaged in the fire
were IL small. two-story brick
houses from GIL to 621R Park
road. Firemen evacuated resi-
dents from a two-story brick
apartment house beside the
smoking row houses, but the
apartment apparently suffered
no direct fire damage.
One fireman was hurt in
fighting the blaze. He was
Hamilton Harris, 81, of Rock
vile, Md. who is attached to
Engine Company II. He suf-
fered first and second degree
burns on his right arm. Taken
to Emergency Hospital in a res
cue squad ambulance, he was
treated and released.
Small Boy Gives Warning
Mrs. Helen Baker, who lives
with an elderly aunt on the
upper floor Of 6211a Park road,
said she was sitting on her
front porch when small boy
ran up to her and sald the rear
and basement of SIG Park road
were on fire. He asked her to
call the Fire Department.
1t. James F. Sartrain of the
Tenth Precinct said that this
was the same boy who admitted
starting the fire by accident.
He said the child was playing
with matches under the back
porch Of the house next door to
where he lived when he heard
his guardian calling.
Thinking he had put out the
match, he told police, he tossed
it on a trash pile and headed
for his home. Then he noticed
the trash burst into flames. He
told police he tried to put out
the fire with a stick, but saw it
was too much for him.
The nrst call came at 1929
pm. followed oy a box alarm
at 1882 pm The second alarm
came at 1884 p.m.. the third
at 1886 pm. and the fourth at
1858 pm.
At 4:02 pm, Plan Z was or
dered into effect. Under this
order. fire panies are
switched from one section of
the city to another to protect
the areas from which fire en-
gines have responded for a
major fire.
Fire Chief Willard H. Sutton
pronounced the fire under con-
troll at AIS pm.
Fighting the blaze were IA
engines. five trucks. a rescue
squad. a water supply company
and four battalion chiefs in
addition to Chief Sutton.
First Deputy Fire Marshal
Charles Laschalt could give no
estimate of the fire loss at this
time. He said the fine dppar-
emily started on one Of the back
porches in the row Of houses
When the fire was brought
under control. all but two of
the porches were gone.
One of the tougest jobs FIRE.
men faced was the church fire.
Battalion Chief Andrew Bigos,'
who was in charge Of the first
companies to respond. said he
saw the flames leaping across a
10-foot passageway between
the house at 62lka Park road
and the church. The flames. he
said. went up under the caves
of the church. Firemen had to
rip off part Of the church's tin
roof to get at the fire.
His q uardian called him again
and he ran into the house. tell
ing her about the FIRE. She sent
him down the street to a neigh
boris home.