Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 April 1918 — $5,000,000 FIRE IN KANSAS CITY [ARTICLE]

$5,000,000 FIRE IN KANSAS CITY

Fifteen Big Warehouses Are Destroyed—lncendiary Suspected of Starting Blaze. • HIGH WIND SPREADS HAMES »r— Entire Fire Fighting Forces of Two Cities Battle Blaze—Dynamite Is to Destroy Structures in Effort to Check Flames. Kansas City, Mo., April 5. —Fire, supposedly of incendiary origin, swept the west bottoms wholesale business section of Kansas City, destroying property estimated at $5,000,000. It was brought under control after a long fight. Five firemen were injured, one perhaps fatally, when a floor on which they were working fell with them. , 15 Buildings Destroyed. The fire was discovered in a warehouse of the Abernethy Furniture company and. fanned by a stiff breeze, spread rapidly to adjoining structures. Fifteen buildings were destroyed before it was brought under control. Many business firms had their own fire departments playing streams or their buildings, in an effort to prevent them from catching fire. Dynamite was used to destroy buildings to prevent the spread of the fire. Falling wires caused slight injuries to passers-by. The street car service over the “L” structure into Kansas City, Kan, was stopped when the trestle work caught fire. The origin of the fire is at present unknown, but the fire chief is said to be of the opinion it was started by an incendiary. An investigation was begun almost immediately after the blaze was brought under control. Three Men Caught Looting. The entire fire-fighting forces of Kansas City. Mo., and Kansas City. Kan., were called out. and the police established a fire zone blocks from the scene, in order to prevent looting of valuable business houses in the immediate vicinity. Three men caught looting were lodged in jail. A dozen box cars,, loaded with automobiles, were destroyed. A number of explosions were heard when a chemical' plant in the burned district cought fire. The fire is said to be the most destructive in the history of Kansas City. Hundreds of men and women employed in the business houses wilt he thrown out of work temporarily.