Fort Wayne Asst. Chief Injured in Collision

Fort Wayne Asst. Chief Injured in Collision

First Assistant Chief John Stahlhut and Captain Timmis were badly injured and two other members of the department severely hurt when the chief’s car collided with a combination car from No. 7 engine house. Both cars were enroute to a fire in the city. According to the driver of the Chief’s car through a misunderstanding, the car answered the alarm from Box 38 when it should have been Box 37. Finding the mistake they returned to No. 5 engine house and started again for Box 37, which was at Washington and College Streets. Just as the chief’s car reached the intersection of Washington and Rockhill Streets, the driver of No. 7 apparatus was coming from the north. He swung the chief’s car to the left of the street but was unable to avoid a collision. The force of the impact turned the chief’s car completely around and threw it on its side against a telegraph pole, which was snapped off and the car rolled over the curb against a tree. The heavy No. 7 apparatus turned completely about but remained upright. Captain Timmis and two of the men were thrown from the apparatus but fell clear of the wreckage. Chief Stahlhut was found to be firmly held under the overturned car. After considerable effort the car was finally elevated sufficiently to enable the chief to be removed, and he was rushed to the hospital. At last accounts the injured were doing as well as could be expected.

First Assistant Chief John Stahlhut and Captain Timmis were badly injured and two other members of the department severely hurt when the chief’s car collided with a combination car from No. 7 engine house. Both cars were enroute to a fire in the city. According to the driver of the Chief’s car through a misunderstanding, the car answered the alarm from Box 38 when it should have been Box 37. Finding the mistake they returned to No. 5 engine house and started again for Box 37, which was at Washington and College Streets. Just as the chief’s car reached the intersection of Washington and Rockhill Streets, the driver of No. 7 apparatus was coming from the north. He swung the chief’s car to the left of the street but was unable to avoid a collision. The force of the impact turned the chief’s car completely around and threw it on its side against a telegraph pole, which was snapped off and the car rolled over the curb against a tree. The heavy No. 7 apparatus turned completely about but remained upright. Captain Timmis and two of the men were thrown from the apparatus but fell clear of the wreckage. Chief Stahlhut was found to be firmly held under the overturned car. After considerable effort the car was finally elevated sufficiently to enable the chief to be removed, and he was rushed to the hospital. At last accounts the injured were doing as well as could be expected.