Salt Lake Telegram | 1932-12-16 | Page 1 | Credit is Given Trained Clerks for Life Saving

Credit Is Given Trained Clerks I For Life LifeSaving Saving Weekly Fire Drills for Em Ein- of Stricken Fire-Stricken Store I Seen Seen as Cause of f Small I Death T Toll TOIl lI Copyright 1932 by United Press Dec 16 UP UP Credit for forthe the small loss ss of 01 life in the fire tire which swept the massive department depart ment meat store here today was given to the 1300 well trained of the institution I Each week they hold a fire drill and rehearse themselves in what to do in emergencies eni I Y Yamada mada one o of the store dl di I dl-I rectors declared that many of the clerks and arid assistants would be honored hon hon i ored for their headed cool systematic work in aiding frantic women shoppers shop pers to safety 1 The fire started while someone was attaching electric lights to a large I Christmas tree on the third floor Kameyama a a toy department department depart depart- ment salesgirl told the United Press v The wire broke Sparks set fire to celluloid decorations on the tree Almost instantly flames shot upward and the big tree was wa's was wasa a a ball of ot fire Near Nearby by was wasa a a huge t table ble loaded down with tho thousands sands of celluloid toys They e exploded into flames had to run at top speed to escape so quickly quickly did did the the-n the llamas mC le leap p from counter io counter The smoke and arid fumes s from the burning toys toy was suffocating and made it impossible impose sible for persons on the floors above us to descend the stairways We could hear bear women screaming and anc children crying everywhere II I The ran to their stations and pulled from under counters the with which to lower customers cus cur to the street below The scene much resembled sailors sailors- on an ocean liner distributing life preservers preserve ers in time of danger The so-called so are arelong long canvas canvas can can- vas chutes which are thrown across the the street street from upstairs windows of the store making a degree 45 angle down which survivors may slide to safety We lowered many in the life life- sacks continued Miss Kameyama although many women customers customer balked and ran to the roo roof instead We have weekly fire drills and knew that it was perfectly safe sae in the chutes