OTTER CREEK RADIO STATION FIRE LEAVES ONE DEAD

ONE LIFE LOST IN $150,000 U.S. RADIO STATION FIRE
BAR HARBOR TIMES
Jan. 24, 1923

Clifton W. Ward Victim Of Blaze That Destroys Two Big Buildings At Otter Cliffs Friday Evening.

A fire that started in the motion picture projecting booth at the United States Naval  Radio Station here Friday evening caused the death of one man and property damage estimated at not less than $150,000. Clifton W. Ward, radioman third class, whose home was in Longville, La.,  was the unfortunate victim of the fire.  Ward was the operator of the picture machine and it is believed that he was unable to escape from the booth following the start of the fire in the film.
There were about forty of the station personal in the recreation hall when the fire broke out at eight o'clock.  In addition there was ten or twelve guests.  men, women and children from the village of Otter Creek.  The fire got under way with unbelievable rapidly and men who were present state that the whole building was a mass of flames in a very few minutes.  The men and their guests escaped only by the narrowest of margins in some cases.  The fire was near the only exit and many had to jump from second story windows.  It was impossible to save the unfortunate operate of the machine as men who attempted to reach the booth were driven back by heat and flames.  Lieut. Fielding, officer  in charge of the station, was at his residence on the station and reached the scene as soon as the alarm was put in.  Lieut. Fielding speaks in highest terms of the conduct of his men throughout the fire.
The recreation hall was on the second floor of the building.  In this building were the library, pay office, concessionary stores, small stores, radio material, carpenter shop, athletes locker and other storage.  The building had burned to the ground and with the contents was a total total loss in less than an hour.  From this building the fire spread to the garage with the loss of three station trucks and other material.  A number of cars nearer the doors were saved including those of Lieut. Fielding and Paymaster Stark.

SITE OF OTTER CREEK NAVAL RADIO STATION

The men of the station did everything possible to save buildings and contents but with limited equipment were unable to do much.  A call was put in to the Bar Harbor fire Department and Driver Albee with three men drove a pair of horses over the hard road with a load of hose and chemicals.  the conditions of the roads made it impossible to send more trucks over and the progress of the horses was necessarily slow.  Nether the less they arrived in time to be of real assistance in saving some motor cars and in other ways.

OTTER CREEK NAVAL RADIO ROOM

Fortunately the wind was such that the main barracks, administrative building and the radio apparatus were in no way damaged.  The radio work was proceeded without interruption.  No plans have been announced to date for rebuilding the burned structures.
Liuet. Fielding has asked the (unreadable) to express his thanks and appreciation to all who were of such valuable assistance in this disaster.  Lieut. Fielding has the highest praise for the conduct of his men.  He also wishes to thank the Bar Harbor Fire Department for doing everything possible under such difficult  conditions and also to express his thanks to the citizens of Otter Creek who assisted him and his men in fighting the flames.  He also speaks of the excellent telephone service at the Bar Harbor exchange.
The remains of Clifton Ward, the unfortunate victim of the fire, where recovered from the ruins Sunday.  The service was held at the station this afternoon by the Rev. C. W. Turner, pastor of the Bar Harbor Baptist Church and the only will, he sent to the home in Longville, La..  that afternoon.  Lieut. Fielding and every man in the station speaks in highest terms of this young man, who in two months would have completed his first cruise.  He was twenty-two years of age, a quiet, unassuming young man and one who had the respect of the fellows.  His father, Alva ward, of Longville, La. survives him.  He was unmarried.

Photo of a radio tower