1922 — Feb 7, Fire, Lexington Hotel, Richmond, VA — 12
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 1-27-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–12 AP. “Hotel Man Is Missing.” Progress & Index-Appeal, Petersburg, VA. 2-12-1922, p. 1.
–12 NFPA. “Famous Hotel Fires.” Quarterly of the NFPA, Vol. 23, No. 3, Jan 1930, p. 310.
–12 NFPA. “Loss of Life in Hotel Fires.” Quarterly of the NFPA, V23, No. 3, Jan 1930, p. 310.
–12 National Fire Protection Assoc. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003).
Narrative Information
National Fire Protection Association: “Delay in sending alarm was a factor in a fire which cost the lives of twelve persons. Seven were killed by jumping and five were burned to death. Spontaneous ignition of oily rags in painter’s overalls was cause of fire….Unprotected openings permitted the rapid upward sweep of flames.” (NFPA. “Loss of Life…Hotel Fires.” NFPA Quarterly, V23/N3, 1930, pp. 310-311.)
NFPA Quarterly: “A fire which broke out at 4 A.M. cost the lives of twelve people and swept through nearly half a city block… The hotel, which was built over sixty years ago, was of old style brick and wooden joisted construction. It was located among other old hazardous buildings and was recognized as a serious fire menace by the city authorities. An elevator shaft of wood and metal ran up through the center of the building. There were three fire escapes, two of which were of the stairway and balcony type. The third was simply a vertical iron ladder. There were two open stairways from the lobby floor to the second floor, and from this floor to the third and fourth floors there were three open stairways.
“At the time of the fire extensive repairing and painting was being done. The hotel was not closed, however, and guests were in their rooms as usual. The fire apparently started in a small room on the second floor near the elevator shaft. This room was used by the painters, who had left twelve suits of overalls in this room on the night of the fire. It is highly probable that the fire was due to spontaneous ignition in this clothing.
“The fire spread rapidly up the elevator shaft and was blazing through the roof at least twenty-five minutes before the alarm was received. The night clerk on duty was old and infirm and apparently became confused and overlooked both the house fire alarm and the city alarm box on the corner. The first alarm was sent in from a box two blocks away by a messenger boy who saw the fire at a distance.
“Two ladder companies had been assigned to respond to a first alarm from the box directly in front of the building because of its well-known hazard, but the box from which the alarm was sent had only one ladder company assigned to it, and the route was down a steep grade not traversed on the route to the box directly in front of the hotel. The delay involved undoubtedly cost several lives.
“The first alarm was received at 4:34 A.M., the second alarm at 4:38 A.M. and a general alarm at 4:55 A.M. The fire blazing through the roof and coming out nearly every window on one side. People were jumping from the windows when the firemen arrived. The first company responding to the alarm saw one injured man crawling a half block from the hotel. This company was only two blocks from the fire and was there in less than two minutes after the alarm was sent in. There were twelve lives lost, seven by jumping from the windows, and five by burning. Those that were burned were so badly burned that only the torsos were left; and in two cases the bodies could not be identified. Others that were burned were identified by either their teeth or some article found close to them in the ruins. All of those losing their lives were men. Some were apparently burned in their beds.
“A number of thrilling rescues and escapes were made. A woman about seventy years old jumped from the third story of the hotel across a fifteen-foot alley to the top of a two-story building and was rescued from there without being seriously injured. Others came down water conductors. Some came down ropes the painters had on the side of the building. Many escaped by tying sheets together and sliding down to safety. One man was coming down on a sheet from the third floor when another man caught it and both fell. The firemen caught them in a life net and neither one was seriously hurt. Some jumped from windows when there was a fire escape within three feet of them. The first truck to arrive saved at least thirty persons with its life net and aerial ladder.
“It seems probable that the stairs served as flues for the smoke and heat, and were not available. All the stairs did not run from first floor to the top story, but instead two stairs stopped at the second floor where the fire started and it was necessary to walk down a long corridor before reaching the stairs. to the first floor.
“The fire spread rapidly, badly damaging seven other buildings. It was finally controlled by the excellent work of the fire department.
“A special grand jury investigated this fire and, while holding that no evidence was found of criminal violation of the law, declared that there was the safety and lives of guests and employees. They pointed out that the building inspector and the fire prevention board should have had the authority to close the hotel on account of the chaotic conditions due to alterations. The grand jury recommended a new ordinance regulating hotels, with full power given to the fire prevention board to enforce all regulations.” (NFPA. “Loss of Life in Hotel Fires.” Quarterly of the NFPA, Vol. 23, No. 3, January 1930, pp. 319-321.)
Newspaper
Feb 7, Alexandria Gazette, VA: “Richmond, Va., Feb. 7. – Four men were killed and fifteen persons were injured, some seriously, in a fire which started in the Lexington Hotel here early today and which was still burning at 9 o’clock. At least twenty persons are missing, and it is feared that other bodies will be found in the ruins. Three of the dead have been identified. They are:
- J. Fox, Williamsport, Pa.
Hiram F. Austin, Fincastle, Va.
- Johnson, Charlottesville, Va.
“The fire is one of the most disastrous which has occurred in the State of Virginia in a score of years. At 9 o’clock firemen were still pouring water into the blazing wreckage in efforts to prevent the fire from spreading to adjoining buildings.
“The origin of the fire had not been determined this morning, and police expressed the belief that it would be impossible to learn the cause of the blaze. The first alarm was turned in by a night clerk of the hotel shortly after 4 o’clock. The flames were spreading rapidly when firemen arrived, and men and women who were asleep in the hotel rose terrified from their beds to find the blaze about them.
“A. Johnson, one of the identified dead, jumped for a net held by firemen. He missed the net by six feet and was killed instantly. J. H. Webb of Fincastle, Va., threw a mattress to the street and jumped. He also missed, badly injuring both hips.
“The hotel was a five-story brick building, located at Twelfth and Main streets, and had 250 rooms. Police estimated the damage at $600,000….
“The blaze damaged adjoining buildings, including the Savings Bank of Richmond, the Branch Cavell Company, brokers, and the Co-operative Produce Exchange, located in the rear of the hotel.
“The Lexington was one of the last of the old hotels of Richmond, being a four-story structure of old-fashioned design, built in the ’80’s.” (Alexandria Gazette, VA. “4 Dead 20 Lost in Richmond Fire.” 2-7-1922, p. 1.)
Feb 8, Alexandria Gazette, VA: “Richmond, Va., Feb. 8. – Six known dead, 30 reported missing or unaccounted for, and 28 known injured was the toll of a fire, which early yesterday started from an undetermined source in the basement f the Lexington Hotel…It swept half a city block before it was checked….The known dead are:
Hiram S. Austin, Fincastle, Va.
M.J. Fox, Williamsport, Pa.
C.M. Thomas, Sheriff of Albemarle county, Va.
- T. Cox, of Richmond
F.L. Shaw, of Richmond.
T.L. Pierier, of Yonkers, N.Y.
[No mention of A. Johnson; previous edition reported he had jumped to his death.]
“The bodies of the last three were still in the ruins last night, according to the police.
“The flames quickly cut off all exits in the hotel and the guests, many with clothing in flames, jumped from the windows, some landing in life nets, but others plunging to the pavements….
“Seventy-two guests were registered at the hotel when the fire broke out….” (Alexandria Gazette, VA. “Thirty Missing in Lexington Hotel Fire. Six Known to be Dead.” 2-8-1922, p. 1.)
Feb. 9, AP: “Richmond, Va., Feb. 9. – Firemen searching the ruins of the Lexington Hotel today found a human head, bringing the number of known dead in the disaster to five. The remainder of the body was found later, and was identified as that of E. J. Bush, of Cincinnati, O. …Twelve persons were still missing or unaccounted for today….” (Associated Press. “Firemen Find Another Body.” Winchester Evening Star, VA, 2-9-1922, p. 4, col. 2.)
Feb. 11, AP: “Richmond, Va., Feb. 11 – The death list resulting from the destruction of the Lexington Hotel here by fire Tuesday was increased again today with the recovery of another body. The body, which has not been identified, brought the list of known dead to nine, with six of the hotel’s guests still unaccounted for. Bodies most recently removed from the ruins were found on or near iron beds, giving rise to the police belief that the victims were overcome while in their beds by smoke, and then burned to death.” (Associated Press. “More Bodies Found Today.” Winchester Evening Star, VA, 2-11-1922, p. 1.)
Feb. 11, AP: “(By The Associated Press). Richmond, Feb. 11. – Charred rafters and bricks, which once were the Lexington hotel, yielded up four bodies today, three of which have been identified…laborers, who have been delving among the ruins since the hotel was destroyed by fire early Tuesday morning, came upon the body of William H. Kennon, of Gasburg, Brunswick county, Virginia, this morning. Later today a mutilated body was discovered. Tonight two more victims were found and information at the Undertaking parlors is that they are E. O. Taylor, Jr., of Townsville, N.C., and R. Kiesr, of Columbus, Ohio. Tayler is a lumberman and Kieser a traveling salesman. The four bodies recovered today make a total of 12 which have been taken from the ruins. Only one, E. T. Cox, is unaccounted for. Cox was the financial backer of the hotel.” (Associated Press. “Hotel Man Is Missing.” Progress & Index-Appeal, Petersburg, VA. 2-12-1922, p. 1.)
Sources
Alexandria Gazette, VA. “4 Dead 20 Lost in Richmond Fire.” 2-7-1922, p. 1. Accessed 1-27-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/alexandria-gazette-feb-07-1922-p-1/
Alexandria Gazette, VA. “Thirty Missing in Lexington Hotel Fire. Six Known to be Dead.” 2-8-1922, p. 1. Accessed 1-27-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/alexandria-gazette-feb-08-1922-p-1/
Associated Press. “Firemen Find Another Body.” Winchester Evening Star, VA, 2-9-1922, p. 4, col. 2. Accessed 1-27-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/winchester-evening-star-feb-09-1922-p-4/
Associated Press. “Hotel Man Is Missing.” Progress & Index-Appeal, Petersburg, VA. 2-12-1922, p. 1. Accessed 1-27-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/progress-and-index-appeal-feb-12-1922-p-9/
Associated Press. “More Bodies Found Today.” Winchester Evening Star, VA, 2-11-1922, p. 1. Accessed 1-27-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/winchester-evening-star-feb-11-1922-p-1/
National Fire Protection Association. “Famous Hotel Fires.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 23, No. 3, January 1930, p. 310.
National Fire Protection Association. “Loss of Life in Hotel Fires.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 23, No. 3, January 1930, pp. 308-328.
National Fire Protection Association. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003). (Email attachment to B. W. Blanchard from Jacob Ratliff, NFPA Archivist/Taxonomy Librarian, 7-8-2013.)