Cleveland, Ohio
Koch & Henke Store Fire
May 12, 1910
FIRE IN CLEVELAND
Causes Severe Injury to Three Men And a $350,000
Loss.
Cleveland, May 12.-One man was probably
fatally injured and two others were severely
hurt today when fire destroyed the four-story
brick building and stock of Koch & Henke,
furniture dealers, on Lorain street. The loss is
estimated at $350,000. covered by insurance.
Four dwellings in the rear and a tailor shop at
the side of the store also were destroyed. A
rear wall fell and crushed two of the burning
residences.
ROBERT BEHIKE
and CHARLES
MCSPADON, workmen, jumped from the
third floor. BEHIKE
may die from his injuries.
MCSPADON was badly hurt, as also was
Lieutenant SCHLEE, of one of the fire
engine companies, who fell twenty feet.
Mansfield News, Mansfield, OH 12 May 1910
TWO DYING AS A RESULT OF BIG FIRE
CLEVELAND FIREMEN FIGHT BAD BLAZE ON WEST SIDE.
The four-story furniture house of Koch & Henke,
W. 30th-st and Lorain-av, was threatened with
total destruction by a fire which broke out in
the basement of the building at 7:45 a. m.,
Thursday. At 9 a. m. practically all of the fire
apparatus in the city was battling against the
flames, which enveloped practically the entire
building.
Thirty employes were in the building when the
cry of fire was raised.
A number of the employes were caught in the
smoke that quickly filled the fourth floor.
ROBT. BOHKLE,
thirty, 3190 W 30th st, and
MAX SPADDEN, thirty-five, Bedford,
leaped from the fourth story to the street.
They were taken to Germon hospital in
McGorray's
ambulance. They were both expected to die.
HERMAN SLEE,
a fireman from No. 20's house, was knocked off
the roof of the building by a stream from the
water tower. He fell 60 feet to the roof of a
one-story house at 3104 Lorain-av., adjoining
and lodged there.
He was only badly bruised. He refused to go to a
hospital.
Varnish Explodes.
The fire started in an unknown manner on the
third floor, near the elevator shaft. The shaft
furnished a perfect draught for the flames,
which soon reached the finishing rooms on the
fourth floor.
Exploding varnish in the finishing rooms spread
the flames. Burning brands fell down the
elevator shaft and extended the fire to second
floor and to the offices and display rooms on
the first floor.
Evening Telegram, Elyria, OH 12 May 1910
Transcribed by Linda
Houston. Thanks, Linda!
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