Shades of a bucket brigade
Many students helped firemen control the fire in the Kansas Union building Monday night by holding one of the hoses used to control the blaze. Other students helped by carrying out valuable art objects and furniture.
Students in heroic efforts
Several University of Kansas students helped firemen last night in the major fire at the Kansas Union. Among them was John Stratford, Pratt junior.
Stratford left Watson Library about 11 p.m. and saw fire trucks at the Kansas Union. He said he went over to the Union out of curiosity and wound up helping to get the fire under control.
Stratford said about 25 students were recruited as helpers to keep the crowd back.
"One kid even tore up his shirt so that the guys who were helping could be identified with yellow armbands," he said. "I wish someone could find out his name."
Stratford said that when he arrived, he stood on the east side of the Kansas Union building, but couldn't see any flames, so he went around to the back. He said five fire trucks were in front of the building, since the building was too high on the west side for the hoses to get water to the roof.
Stratford said he helped move the crowd out of the way. He said about 25 students then went inside the building to help move furniture to the new part of the building, since the flames had not yet reached that part.
After an hour a snorkel truck arrived, and the crowd cheered when firemen started pouring water on the flaming roof, Stratford said.
Firemen asked for help in holding the firehoses. About 25 men students volunteered, including Stratford.
"Up there, it was really wet and cold," he said.
Stratford said the roof collapsed in pieces, the west side over the old section of the Union going first.
"Then the east side over the north entrance caved in," he said.
Some of the students went into the ballroom after the fire was under control. About six inches of water was on the floor, as well as plaster and burnt furniture, he said.
"There was water everywhere," Stratford said. "I went down to the basement, and water was gushing down the stairs." The new part sustained mostly smoke and water damage and the furniture the students had moved was soaked with water, he said.
8 KANSAN Apr. 21 1970
"It was really a mess, all those hoses had to be rolled up," he said. "There were an awful lot of students helping, though, but
Strafford left the fire about 2 a.m., when the firemen were starting to clean things up.
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most of the huge crowd that was there just got in the way.
"I sure wish we could find that guy who tore up his shirt."
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Tragedy recounted
By KENNETH CUMMINS
Wire_Editor
The fire burned low, gasping for air through the constant torrents of water, and then suddenly burst into full blaze again and spread rapidly across the roof of the Kansas Union. Several students, including myself, angered by the cheers and jeers of the crowd that greeted the firefighters as they rushed to head off the dangerous blaze, decided to see what we could do to aid the firemen.
Around in front of the Union someone had already had enough sense to begin organizing the students to clear out the Union when it appeared that the fire was going to rage out of control. Arm bands were issued to students to give them access to areas otherwise declared off limits because of the danger.
We entered the Union through a steady downpour of water proceeding through the already burned-out holes in the roof. Several of us began removing the exhibits and furniture from the main floor, while others ran upstairs to save the oil paintings and the Curry collection. The Pine Room, we are told, was already beyond salvage.
Those students who went upstairs were warned that they went at their own risks, and that the roof might fall in on their heads at any moment. Still they went. Nearly 150 students were involved in the salvage of the valuables of the Union.
Everywhere there was a sense of urgency as paintings and furniture were rushed from the Union. No one spoke except to give short abrupt orders. I sensed that the people around me were steadily considering the danger of the building collapsing around them as they waded through the water to get their job completed. Suddenly someone said that he had felt a twinge through his wet shoes.
"I think there's a hot wire around here," he yelled.
"Clear the building fast," someone shouted from the stairway. I ran outside. A ladder was leaning against the side of the
We constantly talked and joked with one another to keep our minds off the cold and the late hour. It was nearly 3:30 a.m. A steady stream of ham sandwiches, donuts, hot tea and coffee and popcorn passed into our hands and to the students and firemen on the roof.
building and a group of students were hoisting fire hose up to waiting firemen on the roof. I grabbed the hose and assisted in holding it up to keep it from getting kinked. We continually pushed forward with the hose or took up slack as the order was given from above.
Several students were on the roof now amidst the blaze, assisting the firemen in handling the hoses. I can remember watching with envy the students on the roof near the warmth of the blaze as I stood below shivering in the cold for nearly two hours.
And then suddenly it was over. I laid down the hose and walked into the Union. Several inches of water covered the main floor and water continued to rain down. I went to the second floor, stood amidst the rubble in the middle of the ballroom and stared unbelievingly at the stars through the gaping holes in the roof. An ugly, exposed steel structure glared down at me.
On the roof I found my roomate, still holding a hose as firemen attacked the last remaining flames. Cold and wet, and realizing that there was no longer anything that I could do, I decided to go home. I walked from the blackened and dripping structure, recalling my earlier mistaken impressions about students. I now felt pleased and grateful for their heroic efforts.
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