Buffalo, NY Factory Fire, Apr 1911

$250,000 FIRE IN BUFFALO FACTORY.

FIREMEN BATTERED AND BURNED IN FIGHTING TO AVERT BIG EXPLOSION.

TWO WOMEN RESCUED.

THICK SMOKE OVERCOMES DWELLERS IN ADJACENT HOUSE, WHO ARE CARRIED TO SAFETY -- SCORE OF FIREMEN BLOWN ACROSS STREET -- FLAMES KEPT FROM TURPENTINE.

Special to The Syracuse Herald.
Buffalo, April 27 -- Damage estimated this morning at $250,000 resulted from a fire which practically destroyed the plant of the Buffalo Glass company at Nos. 96 and 98 Seneca street. Three alarms sent the entire downtown apparatus to the scene. The fire was under control at 8 o'clock.
Twenty firemen of Hook and Ladder company No. 1 and Hose company No. 2 of the South Division street department, were blown across the street by an explosion while working in front of the building. All were able to stay at work.
Two women, MRS. HANNAH EGGLESTON and MRS. C. HANSMAN, overcome by smoke in No. 101 Seneca street were carried to safety by patrolmen.
No one was seriously injured. Several firemen were slightly burned by a sheet of flame which followed the explosion.
A two-story frame restaurant adjoining the Buffalo Glass company on the east was entirely destroyed.

Danger From Turpentine.
Several thousand gallons of turpentine were stored in a subway in the rear of the Buffalo Glass company's building and the flames were forcing their way down and an explosion was feared but the firemen by heroic efforts kept the flames from reaching the turpentine. An explosion would have wrecked many buildings. The building was burning with such rapidity that it was several hours before it was under control. Three alarms were sounded calling out all the downtown departments.
Fire Chief MURPHY, stated that he could not say what caused the fire but that it had originated in the rear of the stockroom and the flames spread rapidly and by the time the fire apparatus arrived the stock and sales room on the main floor of the bulding was a seething furnace.
Great columns of black smoke rolled from the fire filling every room in the building and those adjoining. This hampered the firemen and drove them back time after time.
The total loss of about $1,000,000 was made up by fire, smoke and water damage to the adjoining buildings.

The Syracuse Herald New York 1911-04-27
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!