消防规定Boy Spreads to Many Houses

消防规定Boy Spreads to Many Houses

On the night of April 28 a fire set by a ten-year old boy, who later confessed to the police, destroyed the plant of the Caspar Ranger lumber yard in Holyoke, Mass., and spread to four brick dwellings which were burned. Fires started in the Skinner Mill and the factory of the Farr Alpaca Company where damage of $500,000 was caused by water to a large stock of wool. Automatic sprinklers were of material assistance in checking the flames in these two large buildings. Flying embers ignited the roof of the Peoples’ Savings Bank and the tower of the Holyoke City Hall where the flames were extinguished with difficulty. The lumber yard, woodworking plant, and 3-story brick office building of the Caspar-Ranger Company were destroyed. Six loaded box cars on a siding were also lost. The total damage was placed at $1,250,000.

Chief Patrick J. Hurley sounded a general alarm and called aid from Springfield, Northampton, Chicopee, West Springfield, and Westfield. The flames were fanned by a strong southeasterly wind. Flying sparks created a hazard and ignited the tops of a number of parked motor cars. A water curtain from the roof of the Farr Alpaca plant helped in the fight to save that structure. The tower of the City Hall which took fire was 256 feet high and three blocks away from the main blaze. Three companies of the National Guard were called out by request of Mayor William T. Dillon and City Marshal James E. Bartley.