Blaze Burns Out Old U-M Building

Much of the remains of the old West Physics Building on the University's Central Campus was destroyed this morning in a raging fire, fed by oilsoaked floors, which sent massive clouds of smoke rolling more than 200 feet into the air. Fire Chief Arthur L. Stauch ordered 25 firemen and a halfdozen trucks to the scène as the spectacular blaze attracted a crowd of more than 1,000 spectators. One fireman, Wesley E. Prater, 32, was injured when he was pulled off a truck by hose being unreeled from the moving vehicle. Prater was taken to University Hospital where Xrays were being taken late this morning. He was believed to have received back injuries. The blaze broke out shortly bef ore 9:45 a.m. while workmen were using torches to cut pipes on the seeond floor of the building. Stauch said that sparks from the torches apparently ignited wood which was stored nearby. All workmen fled the building to safety, and moments later the fast-moving ñames enveloped the entire second floor. The floors of the 78-year-old building had been oiled regularly over the years to aid in maintenance, and the oilsoaked wood provided a ready fuel for the fire, firemen said. When firemen arrived, the f 1 a m e s were shooting up through the third floor and into the roof. Stauch ordered six squads of 'firemen to blast the top of the brick structure with high pressure hoses from a half-dozen different positions around the ancient building. As the fire raged, both the seeond and third floors feil into the basement. Less than an hour after the blaze,. began, the entire east wall of the structure, located less than 100 feet from the Main Library, collapsed with a roar heard for blocks. Edges of the east wall, which remained attached to the main part of 'he building, were twisted out of shape by heat and for a Linie firemen feared the other walls would also collapse. But even though blasted with cannonball force by the heavy fire hoses and heated red-hot by the flames inside, the rein aining three walls were still standing when firemen finally brought the blaze under control. Smoke from the towering fire could be seen as far away as Ypsilanti, and the crowd watching firemen's efforts swelled as scores of people from outlying areas poured into the S. University area. University officials ordered the Main Library evacuated when the fire broke out and students and library personnel left the building quietly and without incident, pólice said. Pólice Chief Rolland J. Gainsley ordered all available officers to the scène to control the crowd and to assist in traffic tion. City Administrator Guy C Larcom Jr. who went to th scène was loaned a fireman' rain coat as he skirted the are to observe the blaze. More than half of the ol three-story building had alreadl been razed when the fire brok! out. The historical buildinl where the birth of radar o curred a generation ago wal being torn down to make wal for the new "Library Soutl Plaza." West Physics, erectej in 1888, was near the Ciernen! Library, the General Libran and the Undergraduate Librar! In the late 1950s the buildinl put up for less than $30,000, wl valued at $60,000. It was usJ for lectures, recitations and lal oratory classes in physics. In the late 1930s in this buil! ing the late Prof. Neil H. WJ liams developed the tube whicl eventually made radar possibli Also in the old structure all al pects of research on molécula and atomic structure were col ducted. Since 1960, most of tJ U-M 's scientific and technologl cal development studies hal been conducted on the No$M Campus. fj