NY Times 22 October, 1970
Delayed Alarm Cited In Ironworks Blaze Fatal to à Fireman
Fire Commissioner Robert O. Lowery reported yesterday that an ironworker whose acetylene torch started the fire last Sat urday in which a fireman died tried to fight the fine for 20 minutes by hauling buckets of, water seven stories to the roof before the Fire Department was called.
The fireman, Edward J. Tuite, who plunged to his death when a roof board gave way at 512 West 19th Street, was buried yesterday following requiem mass at the Roman Catholic Church of the Epiph any. The mass was attended by Commissioner Lowery and 1, 000 members of the depart ment.
Commissioner Lowery said the Fire Department had is sued summonses to the Triboro Ironworks of 225 East 126th Street, and to the ironworker, Harry Olsen of 175 Bemant Avenue, Staten Island, for dis regarding basic Fire Depart ment safety regulations.
The delay in summoning the Fire Department, Commissioner Lowery said, did not directly cause the fireman's death, “but it gave the fire a vital 20 minutes or more to spread into the roof while the two work ers on the scene made no use of a telephone which was on the ground floor of the build ing.
The Fire Commissioner said: “I do not wish to belittle the frantic efforts which the work ers made to put out the fire, but their first step should have been to call the Fire Depart ment.
“I hope the public will take notice that delay in calling the department almost always cre ates a more serious situation, with greater hazard to the firemen who respond.”
Fire Commissioner Robert O. Lowery reported yesterday that an ironworker whose acetylene torch started the fire last Sa urday in which a fireman died tried to fight the fine for 20 minutes by hauling buckets of, water seven stories to the roof before the Fire Department was called.
The fireman, Edward J. Tuite, who plunged to his death when a roof board gave way at 512 West 19th Street, was buried yesterday following requiem mass at the Roman Catholic Church of the Epiphany. The mass was attended by Commissioner Lowery and 1, 000 members of the department.
Commissioner Lowery said the Fire Department had is sued summonses to the Triboro Ironworks of 225 East 126th Street, and to the ironworker, Harry Olsen of 175 Bemant Avenue, Staten Island, for dis regarding basic Fire Department safety regulations.
The delay in summoning the Fire Department, Commissioner Lowery said, did not directly cause the fireman's death, “but it gave the fire a vital 20 minutes or more to spread into the roof while the two work ers on the scene made no use of a telephone which was on the ground floor of the building.
The Fire Commissioner said: “I do not wish to belittle the frantic efforts which the work ers made to put out the fire, but their first step should have been to call the Fire Department.
“I hope the public will take notice that delay in calling the department almost always creates a more serious situation, with greater hazard to the firemen who respond.”
