FIRE BREAKS OUT IN THE CAPITOL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18960, 6 January 1930, Page 1

FIRE BREAKS OUT IN THE CAPITOL.

ANOTHER WASHINGTON BUILDING IN FLAMES

(United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

WASHINGTON, January 4. Following upon the fire which destroyed the executive office wing of the White House on Christmas Eve, a fire has now occurred at the Capitol building. Enormous crowds of excited citizens gathered when the flames swept supplementary House Document Room, under the dome of the main Capitol building. The fire offered a brilliant spectacle as the flames and smoke poured through the roof and through the windows of the fourth storey. The general alarm brought firemen, who controlled the blaze in half an hour after they arrived. It appeared that the historic structure was threatened with the worst fire since both wings were Ipurut during the war of 1812. Th 4 damage had not been estimated to-night, but it was not believed to be great, and was due principally to water from the fire prevention apparatus. Suggestions have been made from several sources that the proximity of two such fires in Washington indicate the activities of a pyromaniac, but the rumour as yet has not been substantiated. In the course of the war of 1812 between England and America the public buildings at Washington were burned by Sir Alexander Cochrane and General Robert Ross. The expedition was carried out between August 19 and 29, 1814, and 'was well organised and vigorously executed. It was regarded even at the time as an act of vandalism and was by no means approved by many of the British officers who were compelled to take part in it. The corner stone of the Capitol was laid on September 18, 1793, and was completed in its present form in 1811 The area of its floor space is over fourteen acres. A wing of the White House, contain, ing the President’s executive office, was seriously damaged by fire on Christmas Eve while the President and his family were celebrating the occasi°n - They watched the fire, and then continued their festivities. The Presi dent's documents and files were saved. TWO KILLED WHEN FIRE SWEEPS HOTEL. 'NEW YORK, January 4. An invalid woman and an engineer were killed when flames swept through the Hotel Marquery, one of the most exclusive hotels in the city. hollowing an unexplained explosion in the basement, flames shot up through the entire structure by way of the elevator shafts. The hundreds of residents, many of whom are prominent citizens, were dri\ r en to the streets in their night attire. The damage has not \*et been determined. Six of the firemen were overcome when fighting the blaze. Late to-night the police were searching the deserted suites for other fatalities.