Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-08
All Residents
Reported Safe
In 14th St. Fire
Apartments Ruins
Probed for Cause
Of $200, 900 BIoze

The twin apartment houses
at 2501-03 Fourteenth street
NV. today were in smoldering
ruins behind a hollow shell of
cracked and sagging walls after
a five-alarm fire which made
100 persons homeless.
All the 100 residents today
were believed to be safe. Dep
uty Fire Chiefs william H.
Roman and George Darling said
firemen are hampered by the
precarious condition of the
Quilted buildings. in trying to
learn the cause Of yesterdays
$4,000 blaze.
Smoke was still waiting sky
ward this morning from the
blackened. fioorleSS interiors of
the 45-year-old apartments.
The Building Inspectors office
has ordered flremen to stay out
of the unsafe structures because
Of cracked. leaning brick walls.
The area is roped OF and Cliff
ton street is closed.
Fears Walls May Tumble
Chief Darling said some walls
look as If they might collapse
at any moment.
George Knott, assistant chief
Of the construction section of
the District Department of Lii
censeS and Inspections, said the
south wall facing Clifton street
has sagged as much as eight
inches and will definitely have
to come down." He is attempt
ing to locate the responsible
party but this is complicated
by the cooperative ownership
Of the apartments.
Meanwhile, Fire Department
Investigators are digging into
reports that suspicion look
ing man was seen around the
building when a fire started in
the same area of the basement
last February 8. Thus far.
nothing has been uncovered to
indicate arson, however.
Many Of the residents took
temporary shelter yesterday in
Cardozo High School where the
District chapter of the Ameri-
can Red Cross set up rescue
facilities. All of them, how
ever. spent the night with rela-
tives and friends after check
ing In with the Red Cross and
being reunited with their FAM
lilies.
AS Of midnight. four families
were still unaccounted for in
the fire which flashed up the
elevator shafts from the base
Inent Of 2503 and spread out
over the upper floors. All were
reported accounted for this
morning, however.
Colossal Traffic Jam
The blaze was discovered at
500 pm. and all five alarms
were in effect within IS min
uteS. A colossal traffic jam
ensued in the area around Four
tenth and Clifton streets NV
All off, duty f1remen were sum-
moned to duty. The shift of
police going of duty at 4 pm.
was held in service to handle
traffic.
Two residents were injured
and one fireman was hospi-
talized.
Mrs. Ethel Sims and her 78-
year-old father, Darwin Cromer.
were treated at Freedmen's
Hospital for smoke inhalation.
Fire Inspector Harley Hem
ingway Of the Fire Prevention
Division was taken to George
Washington University Hospital
as a precautionary measure.
He collapsed at the scene
about 8 pm. and was hospital
lied because Fire Department
doctor suspected he may have
had a coronary attack. His
condition was reported salts
factory" today.
Chief Roman and a group of
is firemen spent the night at
the scene.
l4O Firemen Fight Blaze
The Fire Department used
seven ladders. 40 fire trucks
and about 140 men to fight the
stubborn blaze. The twin
buildings still were burning in
some areas after dark, al
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