1929 – Oct 17, Arson? Fire, Portland Hotel Rooming House, First Ave., Seattle WA — 10
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 2-7-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/-
–10 Associated Press. “In Custody Again.” Centralia Daily Chronicle, WA. 10-25-1929, p. 1.
–10 NFPA. “Loss of Life in Hotel Fires.” NFPA Quarterly, Vol. 23, No. 3, Jan 1930, p. 349.
–10 Seattle Times. “Puget Sound Region Has Had Many Multiple-Fatality Fires.” 11-14-1997.
–10 Seattle Times, WA. “Worst Fires,” April 29, 1998.
Narrative Information
National Fire Protection Association: “Ten men lost their lives when an old three-story rooming house was damaged by a fire of incendiary origin. Other occupants suffered from burns, smoke and shock. Bodies of seven of the victims were found in various parts of the structure. Some were still in bed and others were near the doors which they had tried to reach. Three other men died of their injuries.” (NFPA. “Loss of Life in Hotel Fires.” NFPA Quarterly, Vol. 23, No. 3, Jan 1930, p. 349.)
Newspapers
Oct 17, AP: “Associated Press. SEATTLE, Oct. 17. – Fire, which authorities believed may have been incendiary, swept the Portland hotel here today and resulted in eight deaths and injuries to 15. Only one of the dead had been identified at noon, John Brink, 29, son of the Rev. H. A. Brink of Lynden, Wash. Seven other white men were burned to death or suffocated in the dense smoke which blocked their escape from the three-story structure.
….
“The building, one of the oldest in an old part of town, was comparatively undamaged, as the blaze was extinguished within a few minutes after fire apparatus reached the scene. Loss is estimated at $7,500.
“John Fitzhenry, a roomer in the Grand Central hotel, across the street, turned in the alarm. He said he looked out his window at 4:30 and saw the fire through a window of the Portland hotel. He added that it looked like it was burning on a stairway.
….
“Mrs. Mayeda, wife of the Japanese proprietor of the hotel, was the first to be brought to the hospital. Panic stricken and choked by smoke, she opened a window on the third floor and leaped to the street. An awning broke her fall, but she suffered a broken leg and other injuries.
“Fire apparatus was at the scene three minutes after an alarm was turned in. Three firemen were overcome by smoke but were rescued and restored with a pulmotor, as were some of the men living in the hotel. There was very little blaze, but the dense smoke made fire fighting difficult. Firemen succeeded in quenching the flames in less than half an hour. Thoe old building, which was said by police to be a fire trap, showed few marks on the outside of the tragedy.
“McNarmee, the fireman most seriously hurt, fell through a skylight….” (Associated Press. “Eight Meet Death in Seattle Fire.” Centralia Daily Chronicle, WA. 10-17-1929, p. 1.)
Oct 18, AP: “SEATTLE, Oct. 18. – (AP) – The death of John Miller, 59, rail worker, today brought the death toll of the Portland hotel fire here yesterday to nine. Miller was severely burned.
“Officials were engaged today in an intensive search for the pyromaniac whom they declared was responsible for the fire, which destroyed the hotel with a loss of nine lives and the serious injury of several others. The hotel, located on lower First avenue, was patronized by laborers. Fire Marshall Robert L. Laing pronounced the blaze the work of a firebug who has been operating in the district for several months.
“Of the eight dead in addition to Miller, six were identified by the coroner last night as John Brink, 29, Lynden, Wash.; Harold George, 19, transient, enroute to Los Angeles; James Liddle, 56, Seattle; James Mandzik, 47, Seattle; Thomas O’Malley, 31, Seattle; William A. Martin, 54, Seattle.
“Of the two unidentified dead, one was described as between 30 and 40 years old, tattooed on right firearm, sandy hair, gray eyes. Officials believed he might be Carl Vanorman of Battle Creek, Mich. The other was between 35 and 40 years old and it was thought that he might be Patrick Holland, of Seattle….” (Associated Press. “Death Toll of Fire Increased.” Centralia Daily Chronicle, WA. 10-18-1929, p. 1.)
Oct 19, AP: “SEATTLE, Oct. 19. – (AP) Arrested for questioning in the tragic Portland hotel fire which took the lives of nine men and resulted in injury to 12 persons Thursday, Hohn Doyle, 54-year-old dock laborer, was held today in the city jail on an open charge. Doyle turned in one of the three alarms when the fire started and has been under the influence of liquor since. While police would not declare that they believed Doyle set off the blaze, they have unable to get a coherent story from him. First degree murder and first degree arson faces the firebug f he is caught. The prosecutor’s office claims conclusive evidence that the fire was of an incendiary nature.” (Associated Press. “Firebug Suspect in Custody in Seattle.” Centralia Daily Chronicle, WA. 10-19-1929, p. 1.)
Oct 25, AP: “SEATTLE, Oct. 25. – (AP) – Upon request of the coroner’s jury investigating the Portland hotel fire, S. Takaya [last 5 letters unclear], Japanese cann4ry worker, today was arrested for the second time in connection with the tragedy in which 10 men died. He was held incommunicado and will be questioned by the jury.” (Associated Press. “In Custody Again.” Centralia Daily Chronicle, WA. 10-25-1929, p. 1.)
Sources
Associated Press. “Eight Meet Death in Seattle Fire.” Centralia Daily Chronicle, WA. 10-17-1929, p. 1. Accessed 2-7-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/centralia-daily-chronicle-oct-17-1929-p-1/
Associated Press. “In Custody Again.” Centralia Daily Chronicle, WA. 10-25-1929, p. 1. Accessed 2-7-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/centralia-daily-chronicle-oct-25-1929-p-1/
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.
Seattle Times, WA. “Puget Sound Region Has Had Many Multiple-Fatality Fires.” 11-14-1997. Accessed 2-7-2025 at: https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19971114/2572312/puget-sound-region-has-had-many-multiple-fatality-fires
Seattle Times, WA “Worst Fires,” 4-29-1998. Accessed 7-1-2017 at: http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19980429&slug=2747905