Fire in Ice Cream Cone Factory

Fire in Ice Cream Cone Factory

The fire department of Chelsea, Mass., had serious hindrance in its effort to fight the fire that recently damaged seriously the Southwest Cone Company, second largest ice cream cone factory in the United States. The factory was a three-story brick structure, only a year old, occupying a space 75 x 150 feet on a 50-foot street in the westerly part of the city and had no private protection. The fire was discovered and alarm pulled at 11 :20 p. m. The department responded quickly under command of Chief Dave Hudson, and found that the fire, which started on the first floor rear, had already involved the second and third stories in part and as all windows and doors on those floors were completely blocked by cases of cardboard boxes, bags of flour, etc., it was impossible for some time to get streams to the interior of the building. The cones being made of flour and cottonseed oil, were highly inflammable and the stock of oil in the factory naturally increased the difficulties under which Chief Hudson and his seventy men labored. It was seven hours before the “all out” signal was given and the best testimony that could be given regarding the admirable work of the department was the fact that the plant was not a total loss. The property was valued at $80,000 and the contents at $35,000; the estimated loss on all is $60,000. Two Amoskeag steam engines and three motor Seagraves were employed and eleven engine streams were thrown at one time. Six 6-inch single hydrants were available, supplied from a 6-inch street main. They were were 300 feet apart. Cotton rubber-lined hose was used, of which 4,500 feet were laid.

The fire department of Chelsea, Mass., had serious hindrance in its effort to fight the fire that recently damaged seriously the Southwest Cone Company, second largest ice cream cone factory in the United States. The factory was a three-story brick structure, only a year old, occupying a space 75 x 150 feet on a 50-foot street in the westerly part of the city and had no private protection. The fire was discovered and alarm pulled at 11 :20 p. m. The department responded quickly under command of Chief Dave Hudson, and found that the fire, which started on the first floor rear, had already involved the second and third stories in part and as all windows and doors on those floors were completely blocked by cases of cardboard boxes, bags of flour, etc., it was impossible for some time to get streams to the interior of the building. The cones being made of flour and cottonseed oil, were highly inflammable and the stock of oil in the factory naturally increased the difficulties under which Chief Hudson and his seventy men labored. It was seven hours before the “all out” signal was given and the best testimony that could be given regarding the admirable work of the department was the fact that the plant was not a total loss. The property was valued at $80,000 and the contents at $35,000; the estimated loss on all is $60,000. Two Amoskeag steam engines and three motor Seagraves were employed and eleven engine streams were thrown at one time. Six 6-inch single hydrants were available, supplied from a 6-inch street main. They were were 300 feet apart. Cotton rubber-lined hose was used, of which 4,500 feet were laid.