HOSPITAL TRAGEDY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3614, 19 June 1923, Page 21

HOSPITAL TRAGEDY.

HEROIC RESCUE WORK. LONDON, June 14. A fire occurred in the open air ward of the Ministry of Pensions hospital for disabled soldiers at Birmingham. Out of 20 ft»en in the ward at the time of the outbreak 12 were spinal patients, who were •trapped to their beds and were unable

to move. They became terror-stricken as they saw the flames approaching. A constable and two hospital orderlies made gallant efforts to rescue them, but the smoke was so dense that they had to take spells in the fresh air. The are spread with the greatest rapidity owing to a high wind. Several patients had their clothes burned, but all were saved except two. In a final effort the rescuers reached a burning bed and brought out a mass of bedclothes; but the man inside died in a few moments. The other man was burnt alive. Replying to Mr A. Chamberlain in the House of Commons, Mr G. C. Tyron said the hospital at Highbury, Birmingham, was not owned by the Ministry of Pensions. The rescue work carried out during the fire was worthy of the highest praise. The cause of the fire was still unknown. Expressing sympathy with the relatives of the men killed, he "said that claims by deceaseds’ dependents would be generously and sympathetically dealt with. The building was the latest of its kind, and was erected at considerable cost. Inquiries are being made into the whole of the circumstances, including the suitability of that type of building.