Hide Article Text (OCR)
An early Saturday morning fire destroyed Loy Roofing Co. at Delphi. Estimated damage was $150,000 to the building and equipment. Owner Robert Quinn reported yesterday that part of the equipment had been replaced and that employees had gone to work on jobs which had been contracted. He said that seven vehicles, three hot asphalt kettles, a fork life, an insulation blowing machine and two shingle hoists were lost in the blaze. The fire was first reported to Carroll County Deputy Lee Heard, accompanied by County Communications Officer Michael McNaught about 2 a.m. Saturday by Jan Sterrett, who lives in the home immediately north of Loy’s with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Don Sterrett, and her cousin, Doris Hays. The officers reported the fire, thought to be a trash, at the northeast corner of the building, at 2:04 a.m. They stayed at the sight and directed emergency vehicles as they arrived. McNaught said yesterday. ‘The blaze was small and it appeared a good hand extinguish er would have contained the fire when I first arrived but the siding was already hot and soon ignited the entire building.”’ He praised Heard, who he felt jeopardized himself in directing firemen when they arrived. Delphi Fire Chief Bill Shock reported that the Flora, Brookston and Burlington Volun teer Fire Departments sent equipment and men to fight the intense, propane gas tank explosion conflagration. Several other area departments were on standby. Only a few short hours after the call was received, representatives of the Indiana Fire Marshal’s department were present trying to determine the cause of the fire. They have not reported their findings. Schock released the building Monday afternoon after the Fire Marshal’s office had released it to the Delphi Department. Firemen stayed at the scene until 2:00 p.m. Saturday although standby equipment was left at the site in case of emergency Monday evening. Quinn, whose grandfather established the business in Delphi in 1916, said yesterday that the City of Delphi is permitting his company to use the Pierce Barn on North Washington Street for storage until other arrangements can be made. On Monday some of the lost equipment was replaced and the rest is on order. Letters have been sent to customers explaining the company’s position at the present time and pointing out that a slight delay can be expected in work contracted. The owner continued, ‘‘I am not certain about many things at this point although you can be assured that Loy’s will be re-est ablished in Delphi, possibly not at the same location.’’ Don Fontinel, a 44-year employee of the firm, remembers when another fire, late in the 1930s, caused considerable damage to the business but nothing so severely as that Saturday. When Hoard and McNaught first arrived, they started warning nearby residence that they should vacate their homes but did not get much response until the first explosion, apparently one of the propane tanks outside the building. According to Quinn, one explosion might have come from a tank inside the building. At the height of the blaze George Moser, 22, of Delphi disrupted fire fighting when he drove over the fire hose between Loy’s and Whiteman Bros. Elevator, immediately south. He was arrested on five counts by Officer Hoard. They were driving to interfere with fire apparatus, resisting and interfering with officers, false-fictitious registration, illegally driving over a fire hose and driving under the influence. He was taken to the Carroll County Jail by State Trooper J.B. Elmore. Moser, whose interference upset Chief Schock greatly, had hit an auto on North Market Street, one block west, owned by Fred Youngberg, a tree and a fence before proceeding along the railroad and coming to the point of arrest. Sheriff I. Dale McCurdy said that Moser started to turn left when he came to Washington Street but proceeded straight across the street to the point of interference. County Officer Steve Kahne arrested two men on a charge of disobeying a public safety order and ordered them to leave the city about 3:30 a.m. The charges stemmed from the fire. Arrested were Gary Moore, 25, and Kirby Alberts, 23 both of Rt. 4 Delphi. Woodrow Whiteman of Whiteman Bros. Elevator said yesterday that no damage was noted at his business although there had been smoldering cobs which did not cause any loss. During the blaze the sky was lighted with a yellow-orange color and debris was shooting through the sky for about three blocks. Utility service in the city was disrupted. Electrical power was out about 3% hours while phone service was also unavailable. Public Service Indiana and Carroll County REMC aided by supplying cherry-picker lift trucks. All power was restored by 8 a.m. Sheriff McCurdy praised the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Department which sent a portable generator to restore radio service to the local department in about an hour. Tippecanoe Deputies assisted at the scene and patrolled the city when power was out. The sheriff said, ‘‘That portable generator was really a great assistance in such an emergency. ’ The only resident near to the blaze to lose a building was Fred Medbourn. A two-car garage behind Loy’s destroyed but his 1976 model auto parked outside the building was removed as soon as his wife awakened him. The Sterrett home’s south side siding was melted but there was no interior damage. The home is located just a few feet across the alley from the fire-consumed building. Firemen sprayed the houses in the immedi ate vicinity, along with Whiteman’s, to keep additional loss down because of the intense heat and flying debris. Schock praised his men and those who assisted from other departments and said that it was their work which kept less from being much greater. He also praised the public for its cooperation although deploring the one incident. He was grateful that no one was seriously injured, especially from the five explosions which ripped the area during the blaze. Marion Buskirk reported yesterday that his garage was scorched. Quinn, who moved his office temporarily to his home at 1009 South Washington — in Delphi, thanked everyone who helped fight the blaze, praising all departments who participated and also thanked everyone who has volunteered to help him “‘get back into business’’ so quickly. He reminded this newspaper that the firm’s telephone number continues as it is shown in the phone book. Board of Review ‘Carroll County Board of Review will be in session for 20 days, beginning June 1. Fred Wagoner of Flora and Wayne Eiken berry of Delphi will start the annual review Tuesday in the office of Claude Robinson, County Assessor. The purpose is to review personal property assessments, hear complaints, correct errors, equalize and make adjustments, add omitted property and to perform all other duties prescribed by the law pertaining thereto. DELPHI ROOFING COMPANY DESTROYED — Fire of undetermin ed origin destroyed Log Roofing Company on North Washington Street early Saturday morning. Robert Quinn, owner, said yesterday that he is not certain where the business will be located but that it will be reestablished in Delphi as soon as possible. Estimated loss to the building, contents and vehicles was $150,000. Quinn and his son, Gary, who works for Loy’s are seen below the arrow at noon Saturday examing the loss. Comet Photo.
Newspaper Details
Delphi Carroll County Comet
Delphi, Indiana, US
Wed, May 26, 1976
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 21 Jul 2026
Other Publications Near Delphi, Indiana
Delphi Evening Herald
Delphi Journal
Delphi Carroll County Citizen Times
Delphi Carroll County Citizen
Delphi Weekly Times
