Loss Set at $130,000 in Airport Fire

24 Planes Destroyed After Blast
 One Man Severely Burned; Navy Pilot Training Halted

Loss estimated $130,000 and one person were severely burned when the fire destroyed the hangar and 24 airplanes at the Conrad airport on the Minnesota City road in mid-afternoon.

Cyril Erpelding, mechanic at the hangar suffered second and third degree burns about the face, hands, and arms, when he was engulfed in burning gasoline, immediately after the explosion, which caused the fire.

Only prompt action of Max Conrad of the flying service, who was working nearby when the explosion took place, saved Erpelding’s life, workers at the hangar stated today.

Football fashion Max tackled Erpelding whose upper body was a flaming torch and threw him to the hangar floor," said Clifford Lush, mechanic at the hangar. He held him while the flames were put out with a fire extinguisher and his burning clothing torn off. Max suffered minor hand burns.

Started in the Engine.
The fire started in the engine of a Waco plane piloted by Edward Waldo, former Winonan who flew it from LaCrosse to Winona for minor repairs.

Waldo had obtained Conrad’s permission to make the repairs in the shop before flying the plane south. He was working on the engine at the time of the blast.

Erpelding who had been working nearby with Max on another motor, had climbed up a ladder to the Waco engine to spray the cylinders with gasoline. He held in one hand a bucket containing two gallons of gasoline used for cleaning motors since war restrictions made noninflammable cleaner unavailable, and the spray gun in his other hand.

Spilled Gasoline
For some unknown reason, the engine burst into flames. Erpelding jumped or fell from ladder, spilling the bucket of gasoline over him. He was a mass of flames immediately.

Fire spread over the plane rapidly. An attempt was made to get it from the shop through hangar door but it failed.

Whipped by the draft caused by the open hangar door the fire spread like a flash over the gasoline and oil-soaked shop floor shooting to other planes parked nearby. In less than five minutes, the whole back hangar of the building was a roaring furnace. Explosions occurred frequently.

Meantime two planes were pushed from the front hangar before the spreading flames reached them and the office.

"It was apparent that the whole plant was doomed two minutes after the fire broke out." C. Paul Venables, who helped to fight the fire, said.

Losses Being Checked
Losses were being totaled today by Karl Conrad, manager of the airport, and Max Conrad their estimate is that the total loss, taking into consideration the destruction of many articles not replaceable today, may exceed $130,000.

As near as can be estimated is planes, many of them extremely valuable in the war program went up in flames.

Parts and engines, essential to make ten more planes, also were destroyed.

A Link instrument trainer, for which the Conrad service was, offered several thousand dollars Thursday night, was destroyed. It was one of the few in the Northwest.

The hangar, including the new building 200 by 75 feet in size, and built a year ago at an announced cost of $40,000 plus all other buildings on the grounds, are considered a total loss.

Equipment accumulated in 17 years of operating the service, a great deal of it irreplaceable today is all lost. It was estimated in value at $15,000.

Records Destroyed
Records, logs of ships and men, all of the office equipment, a complete restaurant, maps, some parachutes, and all the flying school equipment were burned. Little was saved in the flash fire, which was completely out of control long before the fire department could arrive.

The loss was a severe blow to Max Conrad. Insurance was carried only on the hangar. None of the planes or other equipment was insured, Karl Conrad said.

"The important part of the airport, my personal is intact," said Max. "We are ready to go forward again."

Ten Privately Owned
Owners of these planes include Andrew Hennessy, John Lowrie (Wabasha), Dwight Stahman, M. J. Libera, LeRoy Backus, Winona Flying club and Roy Hill, (Northwest Airlines pilot). A plane from Spring Valley and one from Zumbrota also were stored in the hangar.

Two planes were saved. They were in the east hangar and were pushed to safety through the hangar doors.

One of the planes is owned by C. Paul Venables and A.M. Oskamp jointly. The other is one of the best known at the airport, Max’s private trainer, MC 26706, a yellow Cub.

Used in Rescue
It was this small plane that Max took part in the rescue work of the Armistice day storm in 1940, in which he was credited with saving many lives.

The large Stinson plane, used to train pilots for the Northwest Airline, was out of the hangar on the runway at the time of the fire. It was not damaged.

C. Paul Venables, who conducted a navy flying school at the airport in connection with St. Mary’s college, lost his three training ships. The training course, in which then navy students were being instructed, is at a standstill today.

"It is doubtful if it can be continued," said Venables. These students probably will be transferred to some other school."

As to the future of his school, Venables stated it all depends on whether equipment could be obtained. Planes of this type have been frozen by war order.

St. Mary’s college had received no instruction today pertaining to the navy students.

Conrad planes lost in the fire included three Cub trainers, four cruisers, three Taylor craft, one Seaman biplane, one Stinson, one Ryan, and several other planes.

Checked This Week.
This week, the war training service rechecked facilities at the port to give consideration to placing ten to 20 students about February 12 with Conrad for training.

Eleven students, training as instructors and for other advance ratings, will complete their course, Max said.

Six of the ten parachutes at the hangar were saved by Max just before the roof of the hangar collapsed.

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Trester, who lived above the restaurant at the airport and who operated it, lost all their personal belongings.

Several trainees staying at the port also lost personal belongings. Overcoats and other articles of attire were burned.

The St. Mary’s bus returning students to St. Mary’s college left the airport about five minutes before the fire.