A SENSATIONAL FIRE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1620, 11 December 1912, Page 8

A SENSATIONAL FIRE.

JUMP FOB LIFE. Dosoribing tho firo which destroyed the building occupied by. tho offices of tho Greater J. U. Williams Amusement. Company in Melbourne on ■ Saturday, November M, the "Argus" said:— "While thousands of spectators watched tho llro from tho south sido of'Bourko Slreol, only n tow persons witnessed tho inii'il thrilling incidents in connection with tho outbreak. Attracted by tho roar of Iho fin dim, several pedestrians, left HI lln llourlio Street, and inado their way aloiijj Ihe lane which runs up to tho back of fiuKims' Building. As they did sothey wore lion'illed to soo thrco persons a'ppnrmilly trapped appear at. tho window of the Ih'i-t flour, about dOl't. from tho jil'Oiiml, Immediately below the window wiia a eeok-lioiiso 18ft. high. Tlio only l(ii|»> of llio mon seamed lo bo to leap on to Ihlrt ulruoluro. Frederick Coombes, a lad living at Thornbury, was tho first to jump, and 1\« landed heavily on his side ini (lie roof. Herbert Finlny, an operator, followed, and striking tho glass with iiU IWI, oroMiod through it ns far as his wolrd, hlti progress being stopped by the wil'i'Oifitlnk' beneath. The third roan, Mr, 11, Aoicloml, who is heavily built, nlnieli I he roof with wvero force, and was Ililillv Injured, A ladder was placed oiioloM llm wall bv Iho onlookers, and llta llii'im moll mwo brought to the ground Aohi'illili who was unconscious, was taken in l(»« Melbourne llnspital by Constable It. ,1, llrnill. imll'erillg from a fracture of lliti liiiio of (ho skull. Coombes. who was nmmvimlly bill lilllo injured by Ins full, Wni «l--0 liikon lo tho Melboumo Hosliiltll, where ho was treated for burns on llm fiiShl hand, ouls, and abrasions. Mr. .1: itllii.V «lit iirtiolloally uninjured. flillis«|i|a|ill,v Mr. -I. 1). William? stated llm! lii» rOirtJiniiyV losses were fully covvm\ by hwmmw.