SYDNEY HOTEL FIRE

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 September 1938, Page 7

SYDNEY HOTEL FIRE

LAD’S FATAL JUMP

NEW ZEALANDERS’ ESCAPES

[BY CABLE —PBESB ASSN. COPYBIGHT.]

(Recd. Sept. 20, 1 p.m.). SYDNEY, September 20. Fire broke out late last night, in the large Wentworth Hotel. It started on the fourth floor, and destroyed two upper floors. William Redwood, aged 13, who was trapped in a room on the fifth floor, jumped to his death, in view of hundreds of horrified spectators, falling 40 feet from a window to the roof of the Wentworth cabaret. Mrs. Mary Byers, aged 82, is in a critical condition, suffering from burns all over her body. She was rescued by Mrs. R. M. Wilkins and Mrs. C. Reece, who arrived from New Zealand only yesterday. They were groping their way through the smoke, when they heard groans, and found Byers lying badly burnt and semi-conscious in a passage. A night porter rescued J. D. Smith nf Wellington, from his bedroom. Smith was in bed on the third floor, suffering from influenza. The porter ran the gauntlet of the flames, and smashing down ’ the locked door, dragged Smith*dut> . > , Altogether, nine people were treated for burns, shock and abrasions. Two in hospital include Mrs. Euphemia Cornfort, aged 63, of New Zealand, with injuries to the chest. Her condition is satisfactory. • Mr. and Mrs. A. Webb, of Christchurch, escaped unscathed. Webb said he was in bed wheti be heard the crackling of flames, and the room seemed to become suddenly hot. “I called my wife. We both raced towards the door, then the flames spread over our carpet. I grabbed the first clothing I could put my hands on, and we rushed out. All our possessions are missing.” In response to Mrs. Redmond s pleadings, H. S. Macey of New Zealand, went up in a lift to the fifth floor, to try to find William Redmond. “Immediately I opened l the lift door, I was met by a wall of flame. It was an inferno. The wires of the lift were beginninsr to burn, so I was forced down.” said Macey. A New Zealander. H. Balk, a crack pigeon shot, staying at the hotel, arrived shortly after the outbreak He was concerned with the recovering, o. his guns, but the police would not al--lav him upstairs. .He made several attempts to climb the, fire escape, but each time was prevented from doing so. However, when a constable was called from his post near the escape. Balk clambered up and secured the Great damage was done to the hotel. Three floors were burnt out.