MENTAL HOSPITAL ABLAZE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18885, 6 December 1924, Page 2 (Supplement)

MENTAL HOSPITAL ABLAZE.

EXCITING RESCUE WORK.

CENTURY OLD INSTITUTION.

An exciting rescue from a burning.mental hospital was carried out at Sunbury-on-Thames recently. About midnight fire broke out in the men's dormitory houso of Halhford House, an institution for mental and nervous patients. Thirteen patients were rushed out of the building. As one patient, a man of 60, was brought out through a window by an attendant, the roof fell in. The attendant's hand was badly cut by broken glass. The dormitory, standing some 30 yards from the main building, was destroyed. Dr. Haslett, who is in charge of the institution, stated that, the attendants got tho patients out without a burn or a scratch. "One of the patients, for special reasons,„was allowed a night " said Dr. Haslett, "and it'was in° his bedroom that the fire started. The four attendants sleeping in the men's section raised the alarm, awoke the patients who could walk, and rushed to the rooms of those who were bed-ridden or very infirm. The latter they carried r out—-on stretchers. Most of the patients escaped down emergency staircases. . "Except, for the billiard room, the place .was-gutted,--as it was ■ noarly four hours- before the fire was under control," added the" doctor.. The attendants lost everything. One man kept the whole .of his savings in a cash box, which' he had no time to remove."

, Halliford Houso,has been a home'for mental cases for at least 100 years, and Dr. Haslett has been associated with ..the place for the past 30 years.