TERRIBLE FIRE IN BIRMINGHAM.

Evening Post, Volume XVI, Issue 261, 2 November 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

TERRIBLE FIRE IN BIRMINGHAM.

FOUR LIVES LOST. A fire which has resulted in the loss of four lives occurred at Digbeth, Birmingham, late on Monday night, 26th August. About 20 minutes to 11 o'clock, as some of the visitors to the 'Museum Concert Hall were leaving, they observed smoke issuing f rom-between the shutters of Mr. J. Dennison, confectioner, on the opposite side of the way, and adjoining the premises of Messrs. Meyrick and Harvey, oil and color merchants. Mr. Dennison's premises consisted of a shop with three floors above. An alarm was at once given to a policeman who was on duiy at the Concert Hall, and messengers were sent to the fireengine house and for the fire-escape. In the meantime a soldier, who was one of the party, commenced palling down the shutters, and attempts were also made to force an entrance to the shop. As soon as the windows were smashed, the flames, which appeared to have full possession of the lower part of the premises, burst forth into the Btreet, reaching to the window on the first floor. The shop was closed about half-past eight, and the inmates of the house, consisting of ' Mr.- Dennison, his wife, his sister-in-law, one child, about four months old, and the servant, re* tired to rest shortly after 10 o'clock. All efforts to rouse them were for |

Borne time fruitless, but at length Mr. and Mrs. Dennison appeared at one of the windows. Five' ladders were speedily obtained from some' premises in Parkstreet, 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. Dennison 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 woman, who was holding her child in her 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 descended, holding the child with one hand, the little creature slipped from his grasp, and fell. This unfortunate circumstance caused the most painful excitement amongst the spectators, and for a moment it was believed that the child had fallen into the flames. This was happily not the case, but when picked up it was found to be severely burnt. It was immediately taken to the Queen's hospital and attended to, but from the first recovery was hopeless, and it died in the institution on Tuesday morning. After the child had been taken away Mrs. Dennison still remained at the window, and an attempt was again made to rescue her, several men ascending the escape in rapid succession. The sacking of the escape, however, at this time unfortunately caught fire, and the brave fellows were compelled to descend, several of them being seriously burnt about the hands and arms. As the escape was now of no further service, it was withdrawn from the window. Mrs. Dennison remained at the window for a short time, and appeared to be gradually overcome by the flames, which were rapidly reaching her. She sank upon the window-sill in an apparently insensible condition, and, slowly sliding forward, fell, amidst piercing shrieks, head foremost upon the pavement below. She was taken up quite dead. Mrs. Dennison's sister and the servant, it was said, were afterwards seen at the window, but they fell back into the flames. Mr. Dennison states that the fire originated through his servant lighting a match and throwing it carelessly aside in the shop, to which she had been sent for some article after the family had retired.