Small Girl Prevents Serious Fire

Northern Advocate, 16 July 1938, Page 6

Small Girl Prevents Serious Fire

In her own household, little Helen Barnaby, 19-months-old daughter of Mr. N. S. Barnaby, Portland Road, is considered something in the nature of a heroine and a shining example of baby intelligence. The facts of the case are not sensational, but they were sufficiently noteworthy to prompt officials of the local fire brigade to send to Helen a big doll in recognition of the part she played in preventing a serious outbreak of fire.

Recently Mrs. Barnaby left Helen by the fire in the living room while she was busy in another part of the house. It was not long, however, before Helen, whose vocabulary is limited, trotted to her mother’s side shouting “Fire.” “Yes,’ ’replied Mrs. Barnaby. “Nice fire. Helen go and sit by it.” The baby did as she was bid. only to return a little later with the same cry. At last the persistence of her small daughter prompted Mrs. Barnaby to investigate, and she discovered that the woodwork of the open fireplace was ablaze. Promptly the fire brigade was summoned, and had no difficulty in extingui'shing the outbreak. It was a complete surprise when the doll arrived by post—a tribute to small Helen and her cleverness in preventing the fire from getting a more serious hold. t