ESCAPE FROM FLAMES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20241, 29 April 1929, Page 10

ESCAPE FROM FLAMES.

BOARDING HOUSE ABLAZE.

TWELVE LIVES IN PERIL*

SOME JUMP FROM WINDOWS.

BABY CRYING GIVES ALARM. Awakened by the . crying of a nineweeks' old baby, 12 persons experienced a remarkable escape from a blazing boarding-house at 107, Wclleslcy Street West, in tho early hours of yesterday morning. Tho building, which was two-storeyed and contained seven rooms, was almost completely destroyed. Had it not been for the baby arousing its parents the occupants of the houso would probably have been trapped by the flames. As it was, they only escaped in time, somo down the staircase, already almost tottering, and others by jumping from windows of tlio upper storey. Tho houso was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. W. Agnew and three young children, Mr. and Mrs. J. I'. Walsh and their baby and four met- boarders. All were sleeping upstairs except Mr. Agnew.

At about four o'clock in tho morning Mr. Walsh was awakened by tlio crying of tlio baby. For a timo he took no particular notice, but as tho child commenced to scream as though terrified, ho got out of bed.. It was then that he found the passageways upstairs were full of smoke and tho roar of flames could he heard distinctly. On going outsido tho bedroom, Mr. Walsh was almost overcome by the smoke. lie roused his wifo and then gave tho alarm to tho others, all of whom were still sleeping soundly.

Mother Saves Children. By the time all the occupants of the houso wero awakened the lower part of tho house was burning fiercely, the flames licking tho stairway arid undermining its stability. Mrs. Agnew's first thought was for her children and with almost superhuman strength she picked thein up and struggled down the blazing stairs. Almost blinded with smoke she fought her way to the front door, and thero, assisted by her husband, she managed to get outside. Mr. and Mrs. Walsh also had to descend the stairs and they reached safety without mishap.

Tho four men boarders occupied two rooms upstairs. On hearing tho cry of fire bv Mr. Walsh tho two occupants of ono room slammed their door and without waiting to collect their belongings they clambered through a window opening on to a narrow alleyway separating the burning house from,, that next door.

Jump to Adjoining Roof. One man hesitated on the window sill for a moment and then jumped to the ground 18ft. below. His companion jumped across the alleyway on to a roof opposite, then making his way to the ground. The two other men occupied a room in tho front of the building, and thev also decided not to risk the smoke and flames inside the house. They climbed through the window of their bedroom on to the roof of tho front verandah and from there jumped on to a small grass plot about 15ft. below.

When the occupants were all out Mr. Agnew missed the man who leaped on to tho next-door roof and rushed back into tho house to look for him. However, ho was driven back by the flames and by that time the missing man had reported himself as safe.

Escape in Night Attire

There was no hope of saving the house when tho City Fire Brigade arrived as tho building was then a blazing mass. Tho occupants had all gathered on the roadway in their night, attire, nothing being saved from tho house except a purse belonging to Mrs. Agnew and a child's perambulator. Shortly after the shivering inmates were taken to a nearby house; and given shelter. The brigade had a strenuous time in an endeavour to prevent the next-door house catching alight, and this was prevented after somo of the woodwork had been charred. When the flames wero finally subdued tho house was almost a total loss. There was a policy with the New Zealand Insurance Company for £2OO on the contents. No details arc available regarding insurance on the building.