San Francisco, CA Airplane Factory Fire, May 1918

AIRPLANES LOST IN COSTLY FIRE

Blaze in San Francisco Factory Consumes 15 Machines and Valuable Material.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)----Fifteen airplanes in various stages of construction, and a considerable quantity of dried spruce and Irish linen were destroyed here Tuesday in a fire which broke out in the plant of the Fowler Airplane corporation.

The fire started in a furniture factory and swept a block, destroying several frame apartment houses. The Fowler concern was working on government contracts and the stock on hand was estimated by employes[sic] to be worth from $250,000 to $1,000,000.

Finished Planes Lost.

Two finished airplanes that were to have been shipped Tuesday were among those destroyed. It was estimated that equipment and parts enough to construct 50 others also had been burned. Machinery used in constructing planes was damaged considerably.

There were no traces of incendiarism, the police said.

One hundred families were made homeless when the fire swept 25 frame, flat and apartment houses. Most of their personal effects were destroyed.

The total damage to the airplane factory and surrounding buildings was estimated at $750,000 by S. S. Dibbero, a director of the Fowler concern. The factory, it was said, will be rebuilt.

The Idaho Daily Statesman, Boise, ID 22 May 1918
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!