Spectacular Covington Fire destroys Escue Datsun- old Hemingray factory site

Spectacular Covington Fire Destroys Escue Datsun

A raging four-alarm fire destroy­ed Escue Datsun, Second St. and Madison Ave. in Covington, Mon­day night and caused a serious problem from downed high-volt­age wires. An Escue salesman, Art Guy, said at least $3 million in inventory, parts and records was lost.

Covington Patrolman Larry Iseral and an unidentified Ken­ton County patrolman reported the fire at 9:23 p.m. Police said an explosion was heard and two men were seen running from the scene about the same time.

By 9:32 p.m., flames engulfing the part of the Escue complex nearest the Ohio River shot an estimated 40-50 feet into the air and were spectacularly visible from Cincinnati.

THE BURNING roof had col­lapsed by 9:40 p.m. and an aerial truck sprayed water down onto the rubble.

Workers were hampered by downed and live electrical wires. Covington firemen asked for emergency help from Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co. crews.

The fire centered in the sprawling building that formerly held Escue Pontiac service facilities. Cars in the showroom caught fire, their exploding gas tanks spreading the blaze.

Police said several witnesses saw two men running from the scene, and a guard at the near-by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) center said he heard an explo­sion.

Officers had only sketchy information on the two men seen running from the scene. A couple stopped at Kentucky Motors on Scott Street to report seeing the men. A passing motorist gave the same Information to IRS guards.

FLAMES LEAPING from Escue Datsun were easily visible from downtown Cincinnati. Roof collapsed into showroom, left. More photos, Page D-1.

THE AUTO firm had provided a guard service for the open or display section for cars on the south side of Second Street. The service was discontinued about a month ago as autos were moved inside.

The south side of the Escue complex was not involved in the fire.

The first part of the building that burned was a one-story sec­tion. Flames spread to a two-floor section and burned uncon­trolled to a central structure of three stories.

I.W. Haynes, a guard at the IRS center, said a passing motorist told John West, another guard, of an explosion at Escue. Haynes then notified the Coving­ton Fire Department. Ludlow and Fort Mitchell departments arrived within a short time as extra alarms were sounded.

College students attending a geological society meeting at the nearby Quality Inn Riverview re­ported hearing an explosion when the fire started.

ONE OF THEM, Douglas Meny, 21, Westport, Conn., said the fire seemed to break out uni­formly from the entire building.

Richard Heidt, an Escue offi­cial, said he was reasonably sure no one was in the building at the time of the fire.

Owner Fray Escue, wearing a blue jogging suit, arrived at the scene shortly after 10 p.m. He was in tears as he said that almost the entire used-car stock of the firm, plus new Datsuns, had been destroyed.

Escue said security guards had been let go several months ago.

Firemen had gained the upper hand by 10:30 p.m. and Covington Fire Chief James Ruth pro­nounced it under control at 10:45 p.m., but minutes later, firefight­ers were moving in on a new flare-up on the southeast side of the building and there was another small blast, apparently a solvent.

Ruth said the blaze seemed concentrated in the body shop, to the rear of the building, and probably started there.

DEALERSHIP ABLAZE: The $3 million blaze at Escue Datsun lights up the night sky in Covington Monday night. At lower left, flames move closer to power lines and, lower right, owner Fray Escue stares at the fire that destroyed his dealership and its contents of cars, parts and records. See story, photo on page A-1.