A carelessly tossed cigarette caused the general alarm fire that gutted the interior of the VFW headquarters on Railroad Avenue early Saturday morning, at which three firemen were injured, none seriously, Fire Chief Alonzo N. Earle announced this week.
The firemen injured were Leo Storme who suffered a cut on the left hand Timothy Balfour, who was struck on the head by a piece of falling timber and Charles Marathas. a call man. who was sent to the Norwood Hospital for treatment after being struck on the shoulder by a piece of falling timber.
It was Call Fireman James Devine who discovered the blaze.
Devine had driven a friend home to a house on Railroad Avenue near the VFW building. He noticed smoke coming from the chimney and first believed that it was the chimney fire. A closer scrutiny of the building revealed that a fire was raging within.
Running to the corner of Railroad Avenue and Cleveland Street, he sounded the alarm from Box 21 at 12 53 a.m.
When the first apparatus reached the scene flames and smoke were already belching from an upstairs window. Fire Chief Alonzo N Earle, realizing that the blaze was a serious one, ordered a second alarm sounded at 1:03 a.m. Fifteen minutes later. Chief Earle ordered a re-call alarm which summoned the off-duty platoon men.
Hose lines were laid from several nearby hydrants and ladders placed against the two-story wooden structure which was formerly known as the East School as firemen broke open doors and windows to reach the heart of the blaze. It was while fighting the fire from a second-story piazza roof that Firemen Marathas and Timothy Balfour were injured and were given first aid at the scene after which Marathas was taken to the Norwood Hospital for further treatment. A few minutes later while fighting the fire from inside the building, Fireman Storme received a two-inch cut on his hand.
Following an inspection of the ruins after daylight, Chief Earle stated that he believed the fire had been started by a carelessly tossed cigarette on the first floor of the building near a stairway He estimated the damage to the structure at $9000. The investigation revealed that there had been a whist party in the hall on Friday night and that all was in order when the last players left shortly
The organization had just completed renovating and decorating the building at a cost of more than $1000 with the members doing most of the work themselves.
(All articles originally published in the Norwood Messenger)
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