Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Firemen Fight Flames in Extreme Cold, 1918

“Firemen Fought Flames in Cold,” from the Hickory Daily Record, January 1, 1918

Firemen who fought the blaze that damaged the residence of Mr. D.J. Sox, opposite the baseball ground of Lenoir College, Monday morning, encountered the worst weather they had ever experienced in combating a fire in Hickory. The water that was thrown from the hose froze as it fell, and the firemen were covered with ice. After they had done their work, Chief Lentz sent out closed automobiles to bring them to the station. There is no question about their nerve.

The fire originated about 10 o’clock in an upstairs room, used by Mr. Sox as an office, when an oil stove exploded. He had just gone down stairs for a few minutes and when he returned found the whole roof in flames. The upstairs part of the building was practically ruined by the fire, and water damaged the lower floor. Some furniture was removed from the upper story, but most of it was taken from the first floor.

Chief Yoder had not learned today the exact amount of the damage, but he thought it must have been about $1,500. There was no insurance on the residence.

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