DREADFUL SCENE AT A FIRE IN BIRMINGHAM.

Evening Star, Issue 4884, 26 October 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

DREADFUL SCENE AT A FIRE IN BIRMINGHAM.

(From tlie. Standard, August 26.) An alarming fire, attended with a loss of four lives, occurred in Digbeth, Birmingham, late on Monday. About twenty minutes to 11 o'clock, as visitors to the Museum Concert Hall were leaving, they observed smoke issuing from between the shutters of the shop ef Mr J. Dennison, confectioner, on the opposite side of the way, andadjfiiing the premises of Messrs Merrick and Harvey, oil and color merchants, at the corner of St. Martin's lane, and immediately in the rear of St. Martin's Church. The premises consist of a shop with three floors above. An alarm was given to a policeman, and messengers were sent to the fire-engine-house and for the fire escapes. In the meantime (Bays the ' Birmingham Post') a soldier commenced pulling down the Bhutters, and attempts were also made to force an entrance into the shop. As soon as the windows were smashed the flameß, which appeared to have full possession ef the lower part of the premises, burst forth into the street, reaching to the windows ef the firsu floor. The shop was closed about half-past eight, and the inmates of the house—consisting of Mr Dannison, his wife, his sister-in-law, one ehild (about four months old), and the servant—retired to rest shortly after ten. All efforts to rouse them were for some time fruitless, but at length Mr and Mrs Dennison appeared at one of the windows. Five ladders were speedily obtained, and attempts were made to rescne Mr and Mrs Dennison. Unfortunately they were too short to reach the window, but Mr Dennison managed to slide down on the top rung of one of them. Whilst he was descending the fire eaught 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. Poliee-eonstable E. Moore is stated to have been the first to reaeh the window, and oaught the child which Mrs Dennison dropped into his arms. The flames were now eurling round the esaape, and the heat was intense. As Moore descended, holding the child with ene hand, the poor little thing 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 ehild had fallen into the flames. This was happily not the ease, bat when picked up it was found to be so severely burnt that it was immediately taken to the Queen's Hospital, and its recovery is regarded as hopeless. Mrs Dennison still remained at the window, and an attempt was again made to rescue her, several men ascending in rapid succession. , The saoking of the escape, however, at thia J moment eaught fire at the upper end, and the brave fellows were compelled to descend, several of them being seriously burnt about the hands and arms. As the escape was new 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, whieh were rapidly reaching her. She sank Hpoa the windowsiJl, in an apparently insensible condition, and slawly sliding forward fell, amidst piercing shrieks, bead foremost upon the pavemerft below.- Mrs Dennisen's Bister £nd the servant aro stated to hare been soea at the window,.and 'to have fallen back endtienly into the flame*. 'Their bodies, fearfnlfy charred, were found at two o'clock yesterday morning in a bedrewn ;it the hack of tie

house. From the outbreak of the fire the flames spread rapidly, and whilst the attempts to save human life were being made the fire had reached the upper floors of Messrs Meyrick and Harvey's premises, Mr Dennison's premises being already completely gutted. As the gunpowder and ipflammable materials forming the stock of the firm were stored ia the basement and ground floor, energetic efforte were made to prevent the fire from communication with this portion of the building, which the firemen flooded with water. This coarse proved successful, and the damage done to Messrs Meyriek's premises by fire was wholly confined to the upper floor. The property adjoining Mr Dennieon's on the lower Bide escaped injury. Mr Dennison states that the fire originated through his servant lighting a mateh and throwing it carelessly aside in the shop, to which she had been sent for some article after the family had retired. Beveral members of the polio* force displayed great bravery in the endeavor to Bave the Bveg of the inmates of Mr Dennison's house, and some were severely burnt while ingto resoue them. Three men who also rendered assistance at the fire were subsequently treated at the Queen's Hospital for injuries which they had reoeived. The bodies of Mrs Dennisoa, her sister, and servant, were removed to the publie mortuary in Moor street. Mrß Dennison's infant died next day from its injuries, making the fourth death through the fire.