Cumberland, Rhode Island, USA (Valley Falls) (Ashton) (Cumberland Hill)
1955 - Industrial Blaze Ends 2,000 Jobs in Rhode Island

CUMBERLAND, R.I., Sept. 13 - (INS) - Two thousand persons were left jobless today by a $5 million fire which destroyed five buildings of the Manville Mills on the banks of the Blackstone River.

Firefighter James Bannon of Pawtucket was hospitalized for a fractured leg suffered when he fell while battling the flames. A score of firemen were overcome by smoke but were treated at the scene and returned to fight the blaze.

The fire raged out of control for five hours despite the efforts of the men and equipment from the Northern Rhode Island-Southern Massachusetts area.

Chief Samuel Engell said the blaze began in debris left in a pile after the mill property had been cleaned up following the floods.

The mills had been back in operation only a few days following the cleanup operation.

Two of the huge brick buildings housed the operations of the Royal Electric Co. Another was used as a storage warehouse by the Owens-Corning Fibreglass Corp., while the other were occupied by the Atlantic Wool Combing Co., and the Allon Wool Waste Co.

Corsicana Daily Sun
Corsicana, Texas
September 15, 1955

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