The Ypsilanti Daily Press published this story on Monday,
July 11, 1938
Extensive damage
occurred at the Central Specialty Company (located on north west corner of
Forest and Norris Streets) this morning, when a destructive fire swept the
foundry, main unit of the plant, and leveled it to a mass of twisted sheet iron
and charred framework.
The blaze started
at the height of a severe electrical storm, and was attributed to lightning. No
estimate of the damage was available today, but the loss is fully covered by
insurance.
The fire was
discovered by two men who were just reporting for work, after it had already
gained considerable headway. Firemen, summoned immediately, were handicapped
from the start, as gates in the iron fence surrounding the grounds were locked
and time was lost in scaling them and running the hose underneath while
employees were trying to break the fastenings with sledgehammers.
The task of
fighting the fire was made more difficult by the type of construction of the
building, and the fact that flames had consumed a considerable portion of the
molding room before the fire department was summoned. A stiff breeze from the
east was an added hazarded.
The fire
apparently stated in the heart of the plant, a frame building covered with
corrugated iron. It burned very rapidly and made a spectacular picture with
flames leaping in te air against a background of smoke. Heavy showers failed to
curb the conflagration, which spread westward, eventually damaging a large core
room to a considerable extent. An eighty foot tower-like section on the bank of
the Huron River was the last to be ignited. Flames outlined the ridge at the
top and leapt around a ventilator. The fire was so high that water from the
hose did not touch it and it was necessary to attach the pumper to obtain
sufficient pressure. In all, five lines of hose were used and the fire was
under control within two hours of the call.
Flying embers
were carried westward and did little damage, most of them falling into the
river.
Ypsilanti police
officers stayed at the scene to keep spectators back from the walls of the
building, most of which fell.
Despite the
handicaps under which they worked, firemen were able to save the new sections
of the buildings.
Although a great
deal of water was used this morning for the fire, there was little drop in city
water pressure as he tower tank is kept full for just such an emergence,
according to water department officials.
The most serious
loss sustained in addition to the buildings was damage to the overhead cranes.
The cupolas are still intact and the cupola used for work from mail order
houses is situated in another building.
Operations halted
by destruction of the building will be resumed in about a week, plant officials
estimated. About 250 men were to have returned to work today after a 10-day
layoff.
As soon as
insurance adjustments have been made, it is planned to erect a new, more modern
building to replace the burned one.
(By the end of
the year, the damage was repaired, and the men called back to work.)
