Ellis Island Fire of 1897

FIRE ON ELLIS ISLAND.

"New-York Tribune" - Jun 15, 1897

MANY BUILDINGS BURNED.

ONLY THE POWER-HOUSE SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION.

THE IMMIGRANTS AT THE STATION SAFELY LANDED IN THIS CITY,

AND NO ONE REPORTED SERIOUSLY HURT--

THE FLAMES STARTED IN THE MAIN BUILDING, WHICH IS SOON A WRECK.

Every building on Ellis Island except the power-house was totally destroyed by fire early this morning, but all of the 270 immigrants the structures contained, so far as is known at present, were saved. The immigrants, most of whom had landed here yesterday, were almost all in the new wing of the main building, only a small number of persons being in the hospital.

In ten minutes after the alarm was given, they had all been quietly awakened and marched safely on board the John G. Carlisle, the newest Ellis Island boat. So far as known no one was seriously injured in fighting the fire or from any other cause.

Three men were hurled from the top of the cupola, where the flames were first seen, their heads turned by the draughts of smoke and heat. They landed on the ground floor and were badly cut about the head, but these were the most serious casualties reported.

The first intelligence of the fire was received in this city at 12:38 a. m. the harbor police from their station at Pier A, North River, saw a flame bursting from the windows of the main building on the island. Word was at once telephoned to Police Headquarters, and the fireboat New-Yorker was dispatched to the island.

At the same time the sergeant in command at Pier A called the reserves out of bed in the station, and with every other man he could spare, dispatched them in two of the police naphtha launches to the island. The police-boat Patrol is laid up for repairs, and the slower launches had therefore to be used. The men were under command of Roundsman McCormack. Captain Schultze, who was at his home, was also telegraphed for, and a call was sent out from Pier A for the reserves from the other precincts in the lower part of the city. Twenty-five men were obtained from the Old Slip and Church-st. stations and hurried to Pier A to be ready for any emergency.

Learn more about the Fire and Ellis Island at the Museum of Family History.