HOTEL BURNED DOWN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15554, 11 March 1914, Page 9

HOTEL BURNED DOWN.

35 KILLED; 40 INJURED.

NOTABLE ACT OF HEROISM

BRAVE TELEPHONE CLERK

MANY PEOPLE SAVED.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright,

(Received March 10, 10.20 p.m.)

New York, March 10. The fire in a St. Louis hotel on Sunday night was responsible for 35 deaths, while 40 others were more or less injured in their efforts to escape. When the firemen arrived, the flames were shooting out of the windows. Some of the men jumped to the pavements, while others lowered themselves by the bedclothes. Twelve men tied sheets together to form a rope, and descended from the fifth floor to an adjoining roof, where the men leaped over the 10ft chasm separating the two buildings, into safety. Most of those who escaped wore only their night clothes. The manager of an athletic club refused to leave until he had given the alarm to everyone. Several of the firemen were injured by the falling walls. One notable act of heroism is recorded. A youthful telephone operator remained at his post alarming tho guests by calls. Many acknowledged that he had saved their lives, when otherwise they would have slept until suffocated. The boilers i" tb c basement finally exploded, deluging the ruin with steam.