FIGHT WITH FLAMES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 419, 30 July 1928, Page 11

FIGHT WITH FLAMES

RESCUERS’ HEROISM WOMAN AND CHILDREN SAVED A, thrilling story of the heroism’ of two London men was told at West Ham Police Court,’ when one of them, who had sacrificed an eye, appeared with his head in bandages. Mr. St. John Morrow, the magistrate, presented certificates and cheques from the Carnegie Hero Fund Trust and the Society for the Protection of Life from Fire to Albert Gable, of Chobham Road, Stratford, and James Feathers, of Temple MillLane, Stratford. The fine, said Mr. St. John Morrow, was at Chobham Road, Stratford, on February 20, and Gables and Feathers, learning of it, ran to the house. They were told there were a woman and three children in the upper part of the house, where the upsetting of a lamp had set fire to a gallon of petrol. The flames from the spirit made the landing on the first floor untenable, but the two men went through the flames and got to the woman and children. They were about to put the children out of the window—the stairs being impassable—when Gable collapsed and got wedged. Feathers tried to get Gable free, but could not, and then, in searching for the children, he was caught by the flames and forced to jump over the banister, which gave -way under his weight. He fell 7ft and was badly hurt, but outside the house stood on another man’s shoulders and made further efforts to rescue Gable. Then the West Ham Fire Brigade arrived, and the woman and three children, as well as Gable, were got to safety. Gable, added the magistrate, was in hospital for two months, and his right eye had to be removed. Feathers was an in-patient for three days. The Carnegie Hero Fund had already given Feathers a grant of £2O and had paid the expenses of Gable while at the hospital and given him £2 a week.