Panic in a Convent SCHOOL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 111, 18 April 1883, Page 2

Panic Convent SCHOOL.

: DEATH OF 17 PUPILS. An outbreak of fire tinder the Stairs on the secoid floor of the school-house attached to tho German Roman Catholic Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, on South«street, between Aveaue A and First Avenue* New York, on 20th j February, was the cause of a terrible calamity. No fewer than seventeen children lost their lives. Over 700 sholars, mostly children of the poorer classes, ranging from 6 to 11 years of age, who attended the school, were m their classrooms when the alarm of fire wasraipedl A tearful panic followed. The removal of children from the fourth floor began quietly. -This was progressing rapidly,, when the Bister of Oharity m charge of a class of girls fainted, and_ immediately akrm?d the -class; which became panic-stricken. A rush, was' made lor the hallway.' On the -stairs," which were already crowded, a deadly rusn took place. TfEe^raTTing-ffr Jtae stairs broke, and a mass of straggling children , were precipitated to the floor below, falling m a packed mass," one upon another four to. five deep. The police and firemen soon arrived, but their work of rescue was much hampered by the frightened children continuing to fall or leap from the stairway, those m front being crowded over i the broken balustrade by the , children, behind still struggling to reach exits. Six children were taken out dead from the bottom, and eight more died im» mediately atter the rescue, making" a total of 14. A large number of others C irete .; [carried ; ; intoL neigHboriner 1 tenements are reported to be dying. i The excitement which the news of. the i catastrophe spread was fearful. Great throngs of people blocked the streets surrounding the school. Many childrenwere lost m the excitement, and reported Ito be missing. Subsequent! v ; "" the number was set" down at 17. "The dead were removed to the . police station at! the corner -of Fifth*streetj and Fifth; Avenue, where they were laid on the: floor m a back room. They were' quickly identified by ; their sorrow- j stricken motheis; little brothers, and! sisters, and their removal to the afflicted: homes was promptly^ peimitted by thej i authorities. The scene m the class-j rooms and in -the halls after the panic! was almost indescribable. Torn books, j broken school apparatus, and fragments! of torn clothes were scattered upon thej floors, all being a terrible evidence of; the wild ! struggle of the children for; escape from the building. : J