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THE PEROlHMANS WEEKLY
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Volurw 34, No. 2 Hertford, Ptrquimafs County, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 12, 1978
15 CENTS
VISIBLE FOR MILES ? This picture taken from the U.S. 17 by-pass
bridge shows billowing black smoke coming from the downtown section
of Hertford. The smoke, visible 15 and more miles away, was first spot
ted at the Winslow Oil Company fire around 7:50 a.m. when the first
alarm was sounded. Firemen continued to battle the blaze all morning
and into the afternoon. At press time, it was reported to be contained.
Worst fire in history:
^ ByXAXBYM.NEWJBflW
\ HERTFORD ? Tuesday morning
marked what has been called the
worst fire ever in this small
community.
An explosion of an oil tank at
Winslow Oil Company prompted the
alarm at around 7:50 a.m. At press
time, there was no definite informa
tion available on the cause of the
fire. Hertford Police Chief Marshall
Merritt and an employee with
Winslow Oil Company explained
that two transports were loading
fuel at the facility. Merritt sug
gested a spark may have ignited the
trucks, but added that was not
definite.
The most immediate danger was
the threat of fire reaching both the
Reed and Hollowell Oil Companies
where additional fuel could have
added to the approaching flames.
Although damages were reported to
?the buildings, no other tanks
became involved. A spokesman for
Reed Oil Company reported remov
ing cash and records from the com
k\ pany's offices.
L Billy Winslow, employee at
JL^Winslow Oil Company, explained
#flhat he was working in the office at
{/the time of the explosion. He went
' outside and within five minutes, he
} said the entire area was engulfed in
/ flames. .Concerning damages,
Winilow said, "We lost it alL" Two
other employees reportedly
crawled from the building and
plunged into the Perquimans River,
but suffered no injuries.
Following the first alarm, Chief
Charles Skinner of the Hertford
Volunteer Fire Department, im
' mediately put in a general alarm
for assistance. Volunteer firemen
battled (he blaze for an hoar before
the first report came in that it was
contained. Firemen fought the cold,
often causing the water to freeze
upon impact. By 10 a.m., at least 125
firemen, most of them volunteers
from the area, were reported on the
scene representing assistance from
fire departments in Bethel,
Belvidere-Chappell Hill, Inter
County, Edenton, Elizabeth City,
South Mills, Winfall and possibly
others. Also on the scene were ail
available personnel from the Per
quimans and Chowan Sheriffs
Departments, the Hertford Police
Department, Edenton Police
Department and members of the
N.C. Highway Patrol.
Immediately following the first
explosion, homes in the immediate
area were evacuated and all traffic
was diverted away from the
downtown section of Hertford.
Five explosions were heard
throughout the morning and into the
afternoon, audible from as far away
as five miles. Smoke could be spot
ted from as far away as Elizabeth
City and Edenton. The first explo
sion, signaling the start of the fire
was reported around 7:50 a.m., a
second occurred about 9 a.m., the
third was reported at 1:45 p.m. with
the fifth sounding out around 2:50
p.m. The third and fourth explo
sions were reported as the tops of oil
tanks. At 11 a.m., it was reported
that between 4 and 6 oil tanks were
involved.
The fifth explosion, the last
reported before press time, was the
loudest of the day and resulted in an
injury to at least one fireman. Ac
cording to an eyewitness, another
Six local offices will be decided on
by Perquimans County voters in the
^
Perquimans County Board of Com
missioners, two on the Perquim ans
Connty Board of Education,
the office ef Perquimans County
Webb replied, "No comment."
On the Board of Education, the
seats currently held by Ralph Har
rell and Clifford Window are op for
election. Harrell, who has served en
the board 12 years, announced that
he does not intend to seek reelec
tion. Window, who currently serves
as board chairman, said he does
plan to file for reelection.
Perquimsins County Sherrif
Julian Broughton has also an
nounced plans to run for reelection.
Perquimans County Clerk of
Court Jarris Ward is also planning
to seek reelection
ites wishing to file for the
'? until noon on Feb. f
do to on Mc
d Fridays at
Perquimans County Board of Elec
tions office located at 104 Dobbs St.
in Hertford.
Of interest to Perquimans voter#
is the fact that absentee ballots will
be issued beginning on March t with
the closing deadline 5 p.m. on April
M.
Registration books will close on
Aprils at 5 p.m.
Persons who have moved since
the last election should contact the
Board Of Elections and correct their
voting records. This aetion is
necessary for the voter to be eligi
ble to vote in the primary. This
? do later than April 3.
of Election Office is
Dobbs St. in the
lt?r?l Building. The
MANY DAMAGES REPORTED
? A view from behind the offices
of Winslow Oil Company shows
flames engulfing the area, some of
the many vehicles destroyed in the
fire, and the top of one of many
tanks that exploded in the worst
fire ever in Hertford's history.
TOTAL LOSS ? At press time,
losses to buildings and property
continued to grow as a result of the
early morning fire. Shown here,
firemen hose down the remains of
Hertford Feed & Seed, a total loss.
Also destroyed were the offices,
several vehicles, and several oil
tanks belonging to Winslow Oil
Company, and a warehouse at
Reed Oil Company. At press time,
the fire had not reached oil tanks
at the two oil companies located
near Winslow's. (Staff photos by
Kathy M. Newbern; processing by
Don Buck)
Explosions Rock Hertford
oil taj&jgnited. the ton blew qff and
over the Haste house, landed on the
other side of Grubb St. The tank's
top hit a pickup truck on the other
side of the street, bounced off, and
hit and injured fireman Fred White
of the Edenton Fire Department.
Injuries were reported to at least
six firemen at press time including
a broken arm, back pains, and cuts
resulting from the fourth explosion
which knocked the men several
feet. Some firemen were also
treated for smoke inhalation and
exhaustion. Members of the Per
quimans County Rescue Squad and
medics with the U.S. Coast Guard
were standing by on the scene in
case of additonal injuries.
An employee at Winslow 00 Com
pany reported losses as follows: all
of the offices at the oil company,
three service trucks, and the two
transport trucks. All cash and
records at the company's office
were completely destroyed. In
cluded in the records were accounts
receivable estimated at about
$600,000. Also totally destroyed was
the nearby Hertford Feed and Seed.
Several vehicles parked in the area,
some belonging to the oil com
panies, were also destroyed.
Another employee at Winslow Oil
Company explained that there are a
total of 11 tanks at the business
which contained 100,000 gallons of
fuel oil, 50,000 gallons in kerosene,
and between 35,000 and 40,000 in
gasoline. A tank measures 12 x 34.
Firemen battled the blase for
hours keeping houses hosed down to
prevent loss. The home of T. Erie
Haste Jr.. the closest to the flames,
was saved although the garage was
lost.
Fireitaen used the Perquimans
River as one Source of water along
with the street hydrants and water
in the tanker trucks. Foam was
used late in the morning by the fire
fighters to try to blanket the flames.
Shortly after 10 a.m., oil began
leaking into the Perquimans River
with flames visible. The Atlantic
Strike Team was then brought in
from the Elizabeth City Coast
Guard base to fight that, the newest
development. One fireman reported
that the fire was then "rolling on the
river and it will be for awhile."
Lt. Cmmdr. Barry Chambers,
head of the Atlantic Strike Team
based in Elizabeth City, reported
that they brought in seven men, a
mobile command post, 400 feet of
boom to serve as a barrier. The
team set up around 10 a.m. to con
tain the blaze on the river.
Chambers reported that about 100
gallons of fuel was collected from
the leakage into the river and that
the total area on the water involved
in flames was an area about 20 by 40
yards.
Also called in was the Industrial
Marine Service out of Norfolk, Va.
to bring men and equipment to col
lect the oil spilled into the river.
Chambers pointed out that the
Atlantic Strike Team surveyed the
area for pollution and only serves in
an environmental role, not as fire
fighters. He estimated that men
would be on the scene until sun
down.
As of press time, firemen con
tinued to fight the blaze keeping the
additional oil tanks hosed down to
prevent spreading. The fire was
reported contained at that time.
News teams from all area
newspapers, radio and televison
stations were present to report one
of the worst fires in the Albemarle,
and estimated to be the worst in
Hertford's history.
Board receives CETA funds
The Perquimans County Board of
Education has received $34,000
from the Youth Act of the Com
prehensive Employment Training
Act (CETA) to initiate a remedial
program in reading and math at
Perquimans High School. That
news came when the board met in
regular session Jan. 3.
No action was taken at the
meeting, but several matters were
discussed.
Filling the agenda were several
capital improvement projects for
discussion. The xoard reviewed
sewage drain fields at Perquimans
Central Grammar and Perquimans
Union Schools. Discussion on win
dow replacement at Perquimans
Central Grammar was also heard
and board members were informed
that the Cdntral School kitchen has
been tiled. The need for roofing at
Central Grammar was also
discussed; members were told that
readvertisement for bids would be
the next step on this project.
In other information, the board
was told of an increase in the Social
Security tax effective Jan. 1 and
that, also effective that date, the
local school district will be required
to pay unemployment compensa
tion for board employees. The local
board will be given several options
for payment which they will con
sider. This is a requirement from
legislative action.
Board members were also in
formed that the Perquimans County
Board of Commissioners has
agreed to locate fire hydrants, as
requested, on the campuses of Per
quimans Union and Perquimans
Central Grammar Schools.
The board then discussed at
length the need for improvements
to facilities at Perquimans High
School. A result of that discussion
was the scheduling of a meeting
with the board architect held
Tuesday at 9 a.m.
In the area of announcements, the
Board was reminded of the District
I School Boards meeting set for
Feb. 8 at Bertie Senior High School.
The Jan. 16 meeting of the board
has been cancelled due to a conflict.
Rescheduling of that meeting will
be announced in the future.
Correction;
is noted i
An error appeared in a story on
the three vehicle accident reported
on the front page of last week's The
Perquimans Weekly.
A report from the N.C. Highway
Patrol credited SBI Agent William
Arden (Doc) Hoggard as the first on
the scene.
Actually, the first on the scene
was Kelvin Jennings and his wife,
Flora, of RL 2, Hertford. They
removed Agnes Hare HoDowell and
Dana Darnell from their ear, one el
those involved in the accident.
While the report cited both those
passengers as seriously injured in
last week's edition, it has since been
learned that Dana Darnell, age T,
died as a result of the accident.
NEW LEADERSHIP ?New leadership was selected last week when the
Alliance for Progress, Inc. held a hoard meeting at Angler's Core in Per
duimans County. Outgoing chairman is U.S. Monds of Hertford. New of
ficers stuwa above are (L to r.) L.M. Brinkley of Ahoskie, vice
chairman, and Prank Rice of Sunbury, chairman, who will be working
with AFP Director Richard Baker. A full report of the meeting will ap
pear in next week's edition. (Staff photos by Kathy M. Newborn)