1936 — Feb 3, Fire, Dormitory, Parker Dam construction site, Colorado River, CA — 10
–10 Arizona Republic, Phoenix. “Bobbie Burritt, Hero of Parker Fire, Dies,” 2-19-1936, p. 1.
–10 Linenberger, Toni Rae (Bureau of Reclamation). Parker-Davis Project. 1997, p. 14.
— 8 Assoc. Press. “Blaze Victim’s Body Removed.” Arizona Republic, Phoenix, 2-12-1936, p1.
— 7 United Press. “Parker Dam Fire Kills 7.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ, 2-3-1936, p. 1.
Narrative Information
Linenberger: “….A fire broke out, on February 3, 1936, in one of the contractor’s dormitories. The dormitory was destroyed as was the building which housed the mess hall, commissary, recreation hall, barber shop, and post office. Seven men lost their lives in the fire and three more later died in the hospital due to serious burns. The tragedy prompted the contractor to rebuild the buildings with better fireproof construction as well as improved the existing structures.” (Linenberger, Toni Rae/Bureau of Reclamation. Parker-Davis Project. 1997, p. 14.)
Newspapers
Feb 3: “Las Vegas, Nev., Feb 3 (UP)–Seven men perished today and 18 were injured in a fire that swept through a dormitory and a second building at Parker Dam on the Colorado river, according to word received here at Six Companies, Inc., headquarters, dam builders. The victims were trapped in the dormitory. One hundred and twenty five others escaped through windows and doors. The report here said none of the bodies had yet been identified.
“The fire was discovered at 3:30 a.m. by the night watchman. Making his regular half-hour rounds he discovered the blaze in the recreation hall of the dormitory, a frame structure. Before he could sound a general alarm, the flames spread through the entire building and a large adjoining structure, housing the mess hall, pool room, post office and general store. A second dormitory was threatened but the fire was controlled before the building became ignited.
“Officials of the Southern California Metropolitan Water district, for whom the dam is being built to divert water from the Colorado river into an aqueduct, sent all available doctors and nurses in the district to the scene.
“Frank Crowe, superintendent of Six Companies, expressed amazement that the victims should have been trapped. He pointed out that the dormitory windows all opened on the outside. It was believed that the men trapped were not aroused and they died while they slept. Five men in the second dormitory slept through the entire fire. Crowe, who left for the scene, said he was informed that all the men killed had been employed recently and that none of them had been employed at Boulder dam, which Six Companies also built. Beyond that he had no information to identify them. Crowe believed that damage would approximate $100,000.” (United Press. “Parker Dam Fire Kills 7.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ, 2-3-1936, p. 1.)
Feb 3: “San Bernardino, Calif., Feb. 3–(AP)–E. p. Doyle, deputy coroner, said tonight these four men were so seriously burned at the Parker dam site they probably will die: Robert Burritt, Seligman [AZ]; Carl Meecham, address unknown; Leland Jensen, Vallejo, Calif., and Calvin Pierce, address unknown.
“Parker, Feb. 3.–Crackling flames, mercilessly driven through the heart of the construction camp of Six Companies, Inc., by an early morning gale, tonight had left in their tragic wake seven charred bodies, a hospital overflowing with injured, and upward of $100,000 damage. Reports at the fire site tonight said ‘at lest 12 men died,’ but officials had found but seven charred bodies. Nonetheless, they admitted 14 men on the company pay list are unaccounted for. More than 25 men are believed hurt more or less seriously. Several of these are reported in critical condition.
“The construction camp is at the site of Parker diversion dam, 15 miles north of here on the California side of the river.
“Ninety workmen were asleep in a dormitory which was burned to the ground and in which most of the deaths were believed to have occurred.
“The identified dead: Otto Doran of Parker, Harold Hermann, and Joe Peterson, all employes of the Anderson Boarding and Supply Company, and Albert Johnson.
“Three other fire-blackened bodies had not been identified as the still-smoking ruins were combed for clues to the disappearance of 14 other workmen known to have been in the building when the fire started.
“Among those missing and believed dead is Jake Glossbrenner, former cook of Battery E, Arizona National Guard, Mesa.
“Albert Johnson of Los Angeles, who arrived at the dam only a few hours before the tragedy, with two companions looking for work, is known to be missing, as also are the other two men, whose names, however, have not been learned….” (Associated Press. “Seven Die in Parker Fire.” Arizona Republic, Phoenix, 2-4-1936, p. 1.)
Feb 5: “San Bernardino, Feb. 5.–Investigation continued today to determine the cause of a dormitory fire at Parker dam site which snuffed out the lives of seven men. A coroner’s jury, impaneled from residents of the Colorado river area, decided the deaths were accidental and made no recommendations. Nineteen workmen, burned or injured in the blaze…were under treatment in hospitals.
“Hints of incendiarism led the San Bernardino district attorney’s office to leave its investigation open. Norman P. Henderson, special assistant, said four asserted radicals were wanted for questioning, because of threats to ‘blow up the camp’ when they left several days ago.” (Assoc. Press. “Continuing Probe of Dormitory Fire,” Bakersfield Californian, 2-5-1936, p. 1.)
Feb 5: “Here [reference to Associated Press photo] are the ruins of a dormitory and mess hall at Parker Dam, Ariz.,[1] after a fire of undetermined origin in which seven workmen died and 28 were injured.” (News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, MI, “Seven Die…Dormitory Fire.” 2-5-1936, 3.)
Feb 11: “Los Angeles, Feb. 11.–(AP)–The body of Frank Lewis, Saginaw, Mich., eighth victim of the recent dormitory fire at the Parker dam construction camp, was taken tonight to Needles, Calif., awaiting outcome of efforts to locate relatives. He died in the camp hospital. Headquarters of Six Companies, Inc., contractors at the dam site, said by telephone today efforts to trace relatives had failed so far. Records at the camp gave Lewis’ home address as 1216 Genessee street, Saginaw.” (Associated Press. “Blaze Victim’s Body Removed.” Arizona Republic, Phoenix, 2-12-1936, p. 1.)
Feb 18: “Parker, Feb. 18.–Robert (Bobbie) Burritt, outstanding hero of the Parker dam dormitory holocaust, died at 2 a.m., today, the 19th victim of the fire that trapped 90 sleeping men. Awakened at 3 a.m., by the scream of a siren started by the night watchman, Burritt reached to door of the building which seemed almost in an instant to become a seething furnace, but returned, clad only in a pair of shorts, to lead two men to safety.
“Virtually his whole body was covered with third degree burns. Promptly subjected to the new tannic acid treatment, the youth made steady progress for two weeks. He reached the point yesterday afternoon where he laughed and joked with friends and relatives who visited him in the Six Companies, Inc., hospital. Within a matter of hours he lapsed unexpectedly into unconsciousness, and died quickly. The body was taken to Needles, Calif., but will be returned here during the night for funeral services at 2:30 o’clock tomorrow afternoon at the Parker cemetery…Surviving the 19-year-old here are his father, Ray Burritt, Seligman; his mother, Mrs. Effie Burritt, Parker; two brothers, Vernon Crossroads, Calif., and Harold, Seligman; and a sister, Mrs. C. M. Clark, Los Angeles….” (Arizona Republic, Phoenix. “Bobbie Burritt, Hero of Parker Fire, Dies,” 2-19-1936, p. 1.)
Source
Arizona Republic, Phoenix. “Bobbie Burritt, Hero of Parker Fire, Dies,” 2-19-1936, p. 1. Accessed 1-21-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/phoenix-arizona-republic-feb-19-1936-p-3/
Associated Press. “Blaze Victim’s Body Removed.” Arizona Republic, Phoenix, 2-12-1936, p. 1. Accessed 1-21-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/phoenix-arizona-republic-feb-12-1936-p-1/
Associated Press. “Continuing Probe of Dormitory Fire,” Bakersfield Californian, 2-5-1936, p. 1. Accessed 1-21-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/bakersfield-californian-feb-05-1936-p-1/
Associated Press. “Seven Die in Parker Fire.” Arizona Republic, Phoenix, 2-4-1936, p. 1. Accessed 1-21-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/phoenix-arizona-republic-feb-04-1936-p-1/
Linenberger, Toni Rae (Bureau of Reclamation). Parker-Davis Project. 1997. Accessed 1-21-2019: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&ved=2ahUKEwj33-jiwP_fAhUs74MKHcyNBWQQFjAIegQICBAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usbr.gov%2Fprojects%2Fpdf.php%3Fid%3D153&usg=AOvVaw0qcvH_zKBidjq0ReyvsFOU
News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, MI, “Seven Die in Dormitory Fire.” 2-5-1936, p. 3. Accessed 1-21-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/benton-harbor-news-palladium-feb-05-1936-p-1/
United Press. “Parker Dam Fire Kills 7.” Yuma Daily Sun, AZ, 2-3-1936, p. 1. Accessed 1-21-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/yuma-sun-feb-03-1936-p-1/
[1] According to other accounts, the construction site and dorms were on the California side of the Colorado River.