In January 1927 at about 5:15 P.M., a fire was discovered in the garage of the Swab Wagon Company, Elizabethville, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. A report of the fire appeared in the Lykens Standard of 21 January 1927.
COMBUSTION OF CHEMICALS AND OVER-HEATED CHIMNEY CAUSE FIRE
Swab Foundry Garage Complete $25,000 Loss
A new fireproof structure is being planned to be rebuilt on the site of the former Edgemont Garage, owned by the Swab Wagon Company of Elizabethville, which was completely destroyed by fire Sunday afternoon.
An overheated chimney is supposed to have caused the blaze which for a time threatened the entire works of the Swab Company and the central part of the town.
A general alarm called seven companies to the scene of the blaze, Lykens, Wiconisco, Williamstown, Gratz, Pillow, Millersburg and Elizabethville, firemen struggled for two hours before the flames were put in check. Only strenuous efforts on the part of the firemen saved the loss from totaling into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Between twenty-five and thirty cars were in the garage when the fire was discovered. Most of these were the property of the Swab Company. All were saved but five which had to be left when the roof of the building collapsed.
The wagon works which is located aside of the garage was ignited by the flames, but only a corner of this was burned before the flames were extinguished. An auto chassis which was having a new body set on it was ruined and will have to be rebuilt. Beside the truck some tools and a work bench were also burned in this building.
The entire loss is estimated at between $10,000 and $15,000. The owners stated yesterday that work will go ahead with cleaning the debris and a new fire-proof garage will be built.
__________________________________
News story and clipping from Newspapers.com.