HOSPITAL'S PLIGHT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1709, 28 March 1913, Page 5

HOSPITAL'S PLIGHT.

' SUBROUNDED BY FLAMES. ■. Tho Coast Hospital nt Long Bay, Syfllicv, was seriously imperilled last week by a bush firo that broke out in tho thick scrub to the west of the, hospital, * and carried by a strong westerly breeso swept right up to tlio very, wards of tho lios-; pital. ' j Tho Faddington l'iro Brigade, 'under Station-Oflicer'Bollson, was culled out at' about 11 p.m., and when it arrived found the hospital apparently doomed—a sea of fire, with a frontage over a mile long, was braving down on ono \>f tho 'isolated wards end . tho morgue, .. ,The water suply is not good there, and tho engineer l of tlio hospital-was instructed: to stand by tho pumps in ,'easo it eanio to a fight with tlio flames among tlio buildings. The head nurse and her staff immediate* ly set about carrying patients to . <h« main buildings, and it looked as if thh morgue, with its contents, would have to be abandoned. . ' Another call for help was sent to . tho city, ami tho headquarters brigade, with a motor, came out, but before it arrived there was a sudden change in tlio wind," and tho flames wero swept back on them- ; selves. 1 For'upwards'of two hours tho firemen continued at'work. Had the southerly broezo sprung up, as, had been forecasted, tho hospital must luivo caught. At about 2.15 a.m. tho following day the flames in tlio vicinity of tlio hospital \roroi beaten out.