TERRIBLE FIRE IN BIRMINGHAM.

Press, Volume XXX, Issue 4152, 16 November 1878, Page 2

TERRIBLE FIRE IN BIRMINGHAM.

FOtTB ZTVBS lOST. _ A fire which has resulted in the loss of four lives occurred at IXgbetb, Birmingham, _ late on Monday nigift, 26th August. About " twenty minutes to eleven o'clock, as some of ? the visitors to the Museum Concert Hall were leaving, they observed smoke issuing from between the Bhuttera of Mr J. * nison, confectioner, on the opposite side of the way, and adjoining the premises of c Messrs Meyrick and Harvey, oil and 3 colour merchants. Mr Dennison's. premises " consisted of a shop with three floors above. An alarm was at once given to a polioer man who waß on duty at the Concert Hall, 5 and messengers were sent to the fira- " engine house and for the fire escape. In the meantime a soldier, who was ore of the 5 party, commenced pulling down the shutter, ' and attempts were also made to force 1 an entrance to tbe shop. As soon as the windows were smashed, tho flames, which ! appeared to have full possession of the [ lower part of the premises, burst forth ' into the street, reaching to the window on the ' first 11 lor. The shop* was closed about halfpast eight, and the inmates of the house, consisting of Mr Dsnniston, his sister-in-law, one 1 child about four months old, and the servant, retired to rest shortly after ten o'clock. All attempts to rouse them were for some time fruitless, but at length Mr and Mrs Dmniston appeared at one of the windows. Five bidders were speedily obtained frOm some premises in Park street, and attempts were made to rescue the inmates.« Unfortunately they were too , short to reach the window, but Mr Dennison managed to slide down on to the top rung of one of them. Whilst he was descending the fire caught the lower portion ' of the ladder, and he fell to the , ground, but was not injured. Mrs Den- j nison continued at the window shrieking , for assistance, and immediately the escape ' arrived a number of willing volunteers ascended, amidst cheers from the crowd below, in the hope of rescuing the poor J woman, who was holding her child in her 1 arms. Police constable Moore was the first ' to reach the window, and caught the child, ' which Mrs Dennison dropped into his arms. : The flames were now curling round the ! escape, and the heat was intense As Moore J descended, holding the child with one hand, < the little creature slipped from his grasp, and * fell. This unfortunate circumstance caused « the most painful excitement ainoogat the > spectators, and for a moment it was believed s that the child had fallen into fche flames. This was happily not the case, but when picked up a it was found to be severely burnt. It was s immediately taken to the Queen's hospital I. and attended to, but from the first recovery v was hopelefß, and it died.in the institution on t Tnesday morning. After the child had been c .takenaway Mrs Dennison still remained at s the window, and an attempt was- again made o to reecne her, several men ascending tbe o escape in rapid succession. The sacling of n the escape, however, at this time unfortu- n nately caught fire, and the brave fellows were b compelled to descend, several of them being - seriously burnt about the hands and arms. As the escape was now of no further service, B , it was withdrawn front -the window. M» S Dennison remained at the window for a short 0 1 time, and appeared to be gradually overcome w by the fhmrs, which were rapidly reaching & her. She sank upon the window-sill in an i e apparently inseiisiole condition, and, siowly * 8 iding forward, fell, amidst piercing shrieks, B l head foremost upon the pavement below. She oj was taken np quite dead. Mrs DannisOn'a tt sister and the servant, it was said, were after- hi wards seen at the window, hut they fell back p; into the flames. Mr Dennison states that tbe a:

fife originated through his .iZTTT"* I I shop, to which she 8 _».^S____ b *• I article after the family hiKIMHrS *° IBC 1