Fire-Fence Probe Refused by City

FIRE-FENCE PROBE REFUSED BY CITY Officials Declare They Have No Jurisdiction in Factory Blaze Controversy City officials declared today they would make no investigation into the erection of two large fences which firemen say hampered them in fighting the $225,000 fire at the Varoma Building, Second and Erie streets, early Thursday morning. The fence, erected by the John R. Evans & Company, cuts off Segal street and prevented the firemen from entering an alley from Front street which would have enabled them, they said, to fight the fire from the rear. Bernard Gallagher, fire marshal, said there was sufficient water without the firemen using the blocked fire plug on Segal street. "It required only 150 feet more of hose to circle the yard and this was attached so quickly the Segal street plug was not necessary. We are not planning any investigation," he said. Vincent P. Dougherty, vice president of the Allied Metal Stamping Company, whose firm suffered a $75,000 loss, and C. E. Perrin, head of the Philadelphia Metal Stamping Company, which lost $50,000 in the blaze, yesterday asked Mayor Price to order an investigation. George W. Johnson, building inspector, said today the city had no authority or jurisdiction in the matter. "The fence was built on the Evans property and no authority is necessary from the city for the erection of a fence," he said. "There is no regulation I know of requiring gates to be placed in a private fence."