Incendiarism. The Old Goodrich store house narrowly escapes.
A Barrel of Combustible Material Placed Near the Building and Ignited at 2 o’clock this Morning.
Editor’s Note: In recognition of National Fire Prevention Week, City of Norwich Fire Chief Tracy Chawgo has shared some of the department’s archives and journals reporting on the earliest recorded fires in the city. Each day this week, we’ll present a selection from those early records.
As reported by The Morning Sun June 13, 1899
An alarm of fire awakened the inhabitants of Norwich at 2:15 this morning. The fire was located at the old Goodrich store house, corner of South Broad and Front streets, on the proposed site of the new Calvary Baptist church.
The fire when discovered was blazing up the outside of the building on the south end, and sprung up from a barrel of some combustible material that had been placed near the building and ignited. It was clearly a case of incendiarism.
When the fire department arrived the flames were streaming to the roof, but had not yet burned through the clapboards. The fire was soon extinguished.
The property belongs to the Calvary Baptist society, and it is understood that the building is not insured. It has been vacant for some time.
If the fire had gained headway there would have been a very serious conflagration, as William Breese’s furniture establishment immediately adjoins the premises.
TUESDAY MORNING FIRES.
Incendiary Tries to Burn Up Goodrich Storehouse – Oxford Has Serious Conflagration.
As reported by The Telegraph June 13, 1899
The Norwich fire bell rang out clear and strong, sounding 1-6 strokes, at about 2:10 o’clock this Tuesday morning, arousing from slumbers the majority of our citizens, while those who failed to hear the bell, were awakened soon after by the screeching of the fire whistle at the O. & W. shops. A hasty run to the scene of the fire disclosed the fact that the south end of the old Goodrich storehouse, corner of South Broad and Front streets, was ablaze from the ground to roof. The flames had not yet secured much of a hold on the buildings when the hose companies arrived, and a well directed stream settled the matter in short order.
The fire was undoubtedly of incendiary origin. It was first discovered by Mrs. Sarah Mason, who lives diagonally across the street, and who chanced to awake at about 2 a.m. She heard the crackling of the flames and aroused her son, William Mason, with whom she resides. Mr. Mason hastily donned sufficient clothing and ran to the American Hotel, where Officer William Norwood, who had a fire key, was found, and an alarm turned in. No great damage was done to the building, but had the flames gained good headway before discovery, Breese’s Antique furniture rooms, and several adjoining buildings, would probably have burned.
A lady who resides across the street nearly opposite the eastern end of the furniture warerooms, who was awakened by the alarm and was looking from her window towards the scene, saw a short thick-set man come from around Mr. Breese’s store room and the small vacant dwelling next east, onto Front street and walk swiftly away towards the D., L. & W. tracks. It is believed that this man set the fire, as his leaving the vicinity so soon after it started, before the arrival of the fire companies, looked suspicious. His identity cannot be established. The blaze was started in an old barrel set up against the south end of the storehouse, a bundle of blazing rags inside of it being plainly visible to the first arrival. The building is vacant and we understand is not insured. It stands upon the lot owned by the Calvary Baptist church, where their new edifice will be erected.
Editor’s Note: In recognition of National Fire Prevention Week, City of Norwich Fire Chief Tracy Chawgo has shared some of the department’s archives and journals reporting on the earliest recorded fires in the city. Each day this week, we’ll present a selection from those early records.
As reported by The Morning Sun June 13, 1899
An alarm of fire awakened the inhabitants of Norwich at 2:15 this morning. The fire was located at the old Goodrich store house, corner of South Broad and Front streets, on the proposed site of the new Calvary Baptist church.
The fire when discovered was blazing up the outside of the building on the south end, and sprung up from a barrel of some combustible material that had been placed near the building and ignited. It was clearly a case of incendiarism.
When the fire department arrived the flames were streaming to the roof, but had not yet burned through the clapboards. The fire was soon extinguished.
The property belongs to the Calvary Baptist society, and it is understood that the building is not insured. It has been vacant for some time.
If the fire had gained headway there would have been a very serious conflagration, as William Breese’s furniture establishment immediately adjoins the premises.
TUESDAY MORNING FIRES.
Incendiary Tries to Burn Up Goodrich Storehouse – Oxford Has Serious Conflagration.
As reported by The Telegraph June 13, 1899
The Norwich fire bell rang out clear and strong, sounding 1-6 strokes, at about 2:10 o’clock this Tuesday morning, arousing from slumbers the majority of our citizens, while those who failed to hear the bell, were awakened soon after by the screeching of the fire whistle at the O. & W. shops. A hasty run to the scene of the fire disclosed the fact that the south end of the old Goodrich storehouse, corner of South Broad and Front streets, was ablaze from the ground to roof. The flames had not yet secured much of a hold on the buildings when the hose companies arrived, and a well directed stream settled the matter in short order.
The fire was undoubtedly of incendiary origin. It was first discovered by Mrs. Sarah Mason, who lives diagonally across the street, and who chanced to awake at about 2 a.m. She heard the crackling of the flames and aroused her son, William Mason, with whom she resides. Mr. Mason hastily donned sufficient clothing and ran to the American Hotel, where Officer William Norwood, who had a fire key, was found, and an alarm turned in. No great damage was done to the building, but had the flames gained good headway before discovery, Breese’s Antique furniture rooms, and several adjoining buildings, would probably have burned.
A lady who resides across the street nearly opposite the eastern end of the furniture warerooms, who was awakened by the alarm and was looking from her window towards the scene, saw a short thick-set man come from around Mr. Breese’s store room and the small vacant dwelling next east, onto Front street and walk swiftly away towards the D., L. & W. tracks. It is believed that this man set the fire, as his leaving the vicinity so soon after it started, before the arrival of the fire companies, looked suspicious. His identity cannot be established. The blaze was started in an old barrel set up against the south end of the storehouse, a bundle of blazing rags inside of it being plainly visible to the first arrival. The building is vacant and we understand is not insured. It stands upon the lot owned by the Calvary Baptist church, where their new edifice will be erected.
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