A STAMPEDE TO DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13691, 6 March 1908, Page 5

A STAMPEDE TO DEATH.

FIRE IN AN AMERICAN SCHOOL. OVER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY PERISH WRITHING HEAPS IN THE BASEMENT. \ ROOF FALLS AND BURIES CHILDREN. MANY HEARTRENDING SCENES. li.v Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. (Received March 5, 11 p.m.) New York, March 5. A terrible disaster, by which a great many children lost their lives, occurred yesterday as the result of an outbreak of fire in the Lake View common school at Cleveland, Ohio. There were in the school, at the time, uliO children, ranging in age from five to fourteen years, and it is believed that the majority have perished, over 100 bodies having already been recovered. The building was a six-storeyed one, and the fire started in the basement during the morning school. The smoke quickly filled the building, creating a panic, all the classes becoming greatly dis«tressed. Simultaneously the children on the upper floors rushed pellmell down stairs, only to find the lower corridors already choked by children from the lower classrooms, all pushing and struggling for their lives. ■ x The children in trying to retrace their . steps encountered the flames, which destroyed the classrooms. A few minutes later the lower floor collapsed, precipitating scores into the basement. The teachers struggled bravely, but were helpless, and nine of them were seriously hurt. Scores were overthrown, and soon a mass of struggling children became wedged into a small space at the narrow exit, many being trodden on and killed or suffocated, while others were shockingly injured. Scores of others perished in the flames. Miss Morau, principal of the girls' school, who escaped, says the children made a mad rush for the doors and windows, and it was impossible to keep them in check, though they had been taught how to act in the event of fire. There were only two exits, it seems, and the back one was blocked. The other doorway was . also soon blocked with falling children, who were trampled on by those behind. Soon there were heaps of dead and dying, over whom the elder and stronger children clambered in an effort to reach the door. THE CHILDREN HOPELESSLY ENTRAPPED. NO MEANS OF ESCAPE. (Received March 5, 11.55 p.m.) New York, March 5. Most of the bodies recovered came from the first and second floors. A number of those on the third floor escaped. When the floors collapsed the firemen say that children lay in writhing heaps in the basement until the roof fell and buried them. The fire raged for two hours, and when the ruins were explored many charred bodies were discovered, the limbs and skulls becoming detached at the slightest touch. Many were only identified by pocket trinkets. The smoke asphyxiated most of them. The school was an old and badly constructed one. When the front exit was blocked the children were hopelessly entrapped. < No less than 152 bodies have been recovered, and it is feared that many more perished. An overheated furnace caused the fire. The firemen's ladders only reached the third storey. When the fire alarm sounded the children laughed, thinking it a false alarm* The teachers directed them to sit quietly, but directly the smoke appeared the children stampeded, and were soon packed on the stairs leading to the hall like sardines. Children were lying on top of each other, and a few escaped by running over them. A merchant named Upton saved 18 of the children.