(By Tom Beardsley and Pete Zizka) Following the disastrous Willimantic Lumber and Coal fire, Temple Street residents stated that the flames had started on that side of the lumber yard. Mrs. Mary Colbert occupied an apartment in Church Street, which was badly damaged. Coincidentally, she had lost many possessions during the city's 1916 fire at the Jordan Hardware building. The lumberyard had also suffered a great fire in 1896, when George K. Nasin owned it. Local fire officials and Investigators from the State Police examined the ruins in detail to try and ascertain the cause of the fire, but nothing was discovered. Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Vitola and family lived at 43 Temple Street. They were awakened by the light of the blaze, and noticed that the lumberyard's fence was ablaze across the street from their house. Mrs. Vitola ran next door to awaken Mrs. Alice Prue of 51 Temple Street, and asked her to telephone the fire department Willimantic Fire Chief Charles Reynolds gave a great deal of credit to the fire departments from the six surrounding towns, which all responded immediately to his request for aid. Without their aid, he believed that most of the frame buildings on Temple Street would have burnt to the ground. Reynolds also thanked the Colchester-based State Police who did sterling work in helping to arouse and evacuate the occupants of surrounding houses. Reynolds praised everyone who was involved, because the great fire was extinguished, and was not allowed to burn itself out. The Salvation Army had arrived on the scene at 3 am and doled out hot coffee and doughnuts to the firefighters, supplied by local businessmen. The firemen continued to hose water on the ruins of the lumberyard for 36 hours to ensure that all the sparks and flames were doused. A pile of black, charred lumber was all that remained of a business estimated to be worth $100,000. Mr. J. Murphy, president of the company, which owned Willimantic Lumber, arrived in town from Naugatuck the following day, and stated that the cause of the fire was still a complete mystery to everyone. Roger Moran, Superintendent of the water department, estimated that the firemen had used almost 2 million gallons of water to extinguish the blaze, bringing down the reservoir on Hosmer Mountain down by more than 4 feet. The firefighters were used more than 4,500 gallons of water per minute, which was far in excess of what the water pumps at the Mansfield-based water works could manage. Water distribution to houses on the hill district was cut off for several hours. Fire Chief Reynolds estimated that at least 8,000 feet of hose was used to bring 22 streams of water onto the blaze at its height. The local department laid 4,500 feet of hose. The Chief also praised the city's portable flood lighting system, which had been purchased at the time of the hurricane, two years previously. He also praised Superintendent Moran of the Water Department and Superintendent Caisse, the Superintendent of Streets. The Street Department labored long and hard to clean up the massive amount of debris to open up the sidewalks. They also roped off the burnt area and set up flares to be used as warnings during the night. Damage to neighboring properties had been estimated at $10,000. Two properties were extensively damaged on Temple Street. At the corner of Temple and Valley Streets, a two-story frame building, owned by O. L. Willard and occupied on the street floor by the Hurteau undertaking parlors, and upstairs by Alice Prue and her son, was extensively damaged. The fire opened a gaping hole in the wall of the Prue home, and the furnishings were completely ruined by water, smoke and fire. One of two undertaking parlors conducted by Clement Hurteau was damaged by water, but there was no damage on the east side of the building. The total damage done by the fire was estimated to be $125,000. The lumber company’s secretary, Robert Casey, placed a large ad in the Norwich Bulletin and announced that, "at this time we wish to extend our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all those who so valiantly fought the terrible fire which destroyed our plant Thursday morning. We are obligated to the local and surrounding volunteer fire departments who rendered such splendid service and without doubt by their efficiency stopped what might have been a terrible calamity.”

                                         

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