1938 - DISASTROUS FIRE AT BARTON, VT.

Barton, Vt., Aug. 12 (AP) - Inspectors of the Vermont fire marshal's office poked through ruins of three business blocks and two houses today in an effort to determine what exploded an empty 1,000-Gallon gasoline tank in a garage here and started a $200,000 fire.

Officials said the loss was the largest ever recorded in this town, 20 miles from the Canadian border, with a population of 3,500.
After a preliminary investigation fire officials suggested a discarded cigarette apparently exploded fumes within the tank. The drum, mounted on a truck, had been brought to the garage for repair.

The blast blew the head of the tank 75 feet, shattered scores of windows, blew GEORGE KINNEY into the street and burned his hands, and started flames racing through the garage.

The fire destroyed 45 automobiles and trucks in the three-story Webster motor sales garage and storage room, jumped across the street to the Webster feed store, then to the three-story Chutter block, where two floors and basement were occupied by the W. E. Foss general store.

Flames swept across the Barton River, which runs under the garage foundations, and leveled houses 100 yards away. Their tenants, Clarence Marcotte, Philemon Paquette and Joseph Salvatore, saved only a few belongings.

Firemen from Newport, Orleans and Lyndonville, assisting Barton forces, fought three hours before controlling the flames. Twenty-three hose lines went into action.
Flying embers set fire to eight other buildings, but none was seriously damaged. They included the nearby Crystal Lake Hotel and the Barton fire station, where roof fires started.