Raleigh, April 15—Taking sharp issue with the statement of Lewis Hicks, Raleigh fire chief, that the fire at the State Hospital was caused by some of the patients themselves, Dr. R.K. Adams, assistant superintendent, denied yesterday that this was even possible, and reiterated his firm belief that the flames were started by workmen engaged in making repairs on the room.
Dr. Adams pointed out that patients were barred from that portion of the building in which the fire first was noticed, but that the workmen had been busy most of the morning at or near that spot.
Dr. Adams also took issue with the chief’s further statement that the fire would have been controlled much easier had it occurred at night.
“I don’t know much about fighting a fire, but I do know something about handling insane patients, and we never would have escaped without fatalities had Saturday’s fire started at night,” the assistant superintendent declared.
The State hospital board met yesterday and ratified the plan to erect a new wing of fireproof construction.
From the front page of The Concord Daily Tribune, Thursday, April 15, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-04-15/ed-1/seq-1/
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