Edison and the Disaster of December 7th 1914

Edison had the ability to remain impertubially content even when disaster struck in the early evening of December 7th 1914 an explosion rocked his film finishing building. The fire jumped to the surrounding buildings where was fed by the rubber and chemicals used in record manufacturing these buildings were made of reinforced concrete but their combustible contents however fed temperatures who melted the floor and soon the walls collapsed. Miraculously the disaster claimed only one victim William Trober an employee who had rushed back into a building with a fire extinguisher under his arm believing erroneously that some of his co-workers was still inside. Estimated damage was three to five million dollars of which the company told reporters insurance covered about three million dollars this