TERRIBLE FIRE IN LONDON.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9186, 25 July 1902, Page 3

TERRIBLE FIRE IN LONDON.

TEN LIVES LOST. LEAPING FOR LIFE. LONDON, June 14. Just before five on Monday evening, iis the city warehouses were being closed and thousands of people were leaving for their homes, a fire broke out on the premises of the General Electric Lighting Company in Queen Victoria street. The origin of the outbreak is unknown, but the flames were first seen in the engineering room on the second floor. Many of the employees are girls, who were at work on the fifth floor. In spite of the efforts of the office, fire brigade the girls were unable to effect their escape by the staircase, and a sl-ciu; of the v.ikkst excitement ensued. Willing hands assisted the fire brigade men in holding tarpaulins, into which many of the affrighted girls eagerly jumped. Before the escapes could be got into position, 15 females, most of them under 16 years of age, jumped from the top floor of the building, six of whom were taken to the hospital for bruises sustained in their reckless leap. The firemen behaved with the greatest gallantly, and several injured, unconscious women were carried out of the building, one being absolutely destitute of clothing, having been caught by a "tongue of flame, which pierced the door of the room in which she. was working. Within the area which had been cleared by the police the scene was an extraordinary one. At every window groups of eager spectators watched the progress of the fire, and the work of rescue. Upon the pavements the officers of the St. John's Ambulance Corps and nurses were busy rendering first aid lo the injured, and applying artificial respiration lo those who had been overcome by the smoke. In conversation one of the firemen, who entered the burning building and assisted in bringing the panic-stricken girls to the ground, said : —By the time we had placed the escapes to the windows several of the women lfad already jumped into the street. Two of them, in their eagerness to get away from the flames and smoke, jumping beyond the rescuers below. Those who remained in the workroom on the top floor were mostly stupefied when we reached them, and we had little difficulty in getting them down the ladders. The flames rushed up the staircase with such force that it was quite impossible for them to escape that way. In fact, we experienced the greatest difficulty in getting into the rooms, and some of the girls' clothing having caught lire the work of rescue was rendered more dangerous. The building was of six floors, and when the first fire escape arrived from Watlin street, and was extended, it was found that it was too short by a fewfeet, to> reach the upper floor of (he warehouse, where the screaming girls were at the window. The ascent of (he firemen was loudly cheered by the great crowd of anxious observers, but when it was seen that their efforts were frustrated by the deficiency of the ladder.—the scene became hushed in dead silence. Captain Fox, of the Salvage Corps, suggested that the scaling ladders of his trap should be added to the escape. One of the most exciting incidents in connection with, the disaster followed. Station-officer West, Assist-ant-Superintendent Hilbnan, of the London Salvage Corps, and two other members of the latter body, named Ball and Shepherd, had meanwhile ascended to the roof of No. 69, and had in their progress secured an electric cable. To. the end of this West was lashed and lowered from the. parapet of the roof on to the top of the fire escape, from which he was able to enter the fourth, floor and rescue two women, who were lowered successfully to the ground. West was afterwards hauled above the flames to. the roof by the cable. It was hoped when the girls who showed themselves at the- windows had been rescued by the firemen or had leapt into .the sheets that all the inmates had made good their escape. As soon, however, as the firemen entered the building they made the terrible discovery that at least half a dozen shockingly charred bodies were' amongst tlie ruiiisr. Vans were, brought to the scene, and the remiiins were placed in canvas sheets and'reinoved to the mortuary. Tho total number of deaths is nine, eight girls and a. buy. The fact that so many lives could be lost in the heart of the city in broad daylight

has given rise to much, speculation, and the inadequacy of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade's appliances) has been severely criticised. .;