An explosion and fire ruined a two generation family business in Winchester Wednesday night. Zichts' Greenhouse, on the Huntsville road just west of the Penn Central railroad crossing was virtually demolished in the blaze, which was detected after 11 p.m.
Telephone lines were so jammed with callers attempting to report the fire that Winchester firemen did not get the alarm until 11:20 p.m. when Howard McCormick an area farmer who had seen the flames, got word through, Fire Chief Jake Gullett said Thursday.
Two Winchester volunteer firemen, the Rev. John Hess and Charlie Whitesel reported hearing a loud explosion and feeling the concussion as they were answering the fire alarm. Other reports were that there were either two or three explosions. Neighbors said the concussion shook their homes. Gullett said that a large two-inch gas main had been blown apart approximately a foot and a half from the large gas furnace at the rear of the greenhouse. The furnace, however, was apparently undamaged.
As the Winchester firemen arrived at the scene, flames were shooting high in the air through the broken panes of the greenhouse, dangerously close to the house of Mrs. Ray Zicht Sr., just west.
Gullett said White River volunteers who had also been called, arrived at the scene at the same time as the Winchester firemen and "were a big help."
Firemen fought the blaze in ten-above-zero temperatures, with ice, strong, gusty winds and snow adding to their problems.
Gullett said Winchester volunteers returned to the station around 1:30 a.m. Thursday but two firemen went back to the greenhouse at 3:20 when another small blaze broke out.
Thursday morning as Ray Zicht, Jr., present proprietor of the greenhouse, inspected the ruins, he said the loss was partially insured. "We can continue with the front part of the business", he stated (referring to the undamaged front display area, and cut flowers ordered from other companies) "but we're out of business for the time being as far as greenhouse plants are concerned." All the hundreds of dollars worth of growing plants in the greenhouse were ruined either by fire or cold. The worst of the damage was at the southern (rear) end of the building where a wooden shed addition was completely charred and gutted, and all the glass panes in the adjoining part of the greenhouse were broken, wires charred and other damage evident.
Fire Chief Gullett said he had not yet determined the actual cause of the blaze or explosion or which caused which.
Zicht, who lives across Beeson Drive west of the greenhouse, said he had inspected the building at 9 p.m. as he does every evening "and everything was perfectly all right then."
1956.
A small settlement sprung up two miles east of Deerfield, which boasted of a grocery, blacksmith shop, church and a school house. At that time, dinner bells were quite scarce and those not in possession of same on their farms resorted to a long pole, at which to one end was fastened a white rag. At the time when a meal was in the offering, one among the members of the home would raise and shake it as a token that a meal was ready for the workmen in the fields nearby. Hence this settlement came by the name of "Shakerag."
1956.
A small settlement sprung up two miles east of Deerfield, which boasted of a grocery, blacksmith shop, church and a school house. At that time, dinner bells were quite scarce and those not in possession of same on their farms resorted to a long pole, at which to one end was fastened a white rag. At the time when a meal was in the offering, one among the members of the home would raise and shake it as a token that a meal was ready for the workmen in the fields nearby. Hence this settlement came by the name of "Shakerag."
No comments:
Post a Comment