Salt Lake Telegram | 1949-07-02 | Page 1 | S. L. Blames 'Short' for Worst Blaze

S. L. Dlcmcs 'Shorf for Worst Dbzo Salt Laks City's worst firs resulted re-sulted front a "short, saased by Improper wire with Improper' Insulation In-sulation ta u Improper conduit, coupled with sa amateur Job of wiring," city officials determined Saturday. Cause of ths 11.750,000 firs, which gutted the Utah Ice snd Storage Co. storage house Tuesday night, was detarmlned in an investigation in-vestigation by the city fire, police and electrical departments. No complaints will be signed ss s result of the Investigation, so-cording so-cording to Fire Chief J. K. Piereey. -Day iavoatlgattoa Determination of the cause of the fire resulted from a three-day investigation by Asst. Firs Chief Willis J. Smith, fire marshal; D. J. Wolters, chief electrical Inspector, Inspec-tor, aad Dot D. F. Duncombe. . Start of the Ore tat the structure at 651 W. rd Soutm was placed by ths Investigators te the east central portion of the building ea the first floor. The investigators determined that a wire into a motor aad been spliced but not soldered, and that ths vibration of the motor caused a sparking. This, m turn, the investigators stated, burned out s fuse In s swltchboz and overheated wire which Ignited a partition, causing the Ore. Ordered Mew Wbiag Mr. Walters said the building has never been Inspected by the city's electrical department. He pointed out, however, . that six months sgo N. F. Hecker, plant superintendent, ordered a complete com-plete new wiring Job on the stor-ags stor-ags plsnt. Mr. Wolters ssld he assumed Mr. Hecker intended to have the annex storsre house slso rewired. All of the company officials were In Orden Saturday and were not svailaDle for eomme.iL The fire, which resulted In 'JO firemen being overcome, was fourht for more than 12 hours Tuesday night and early Wednesday, Wednes-day, it wss termed Salt Lake City's worst (W.