DISASTROUS FIRE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 48, 20 November 1917, Page 6

DISASTROUS FIRE

AT A CHRISTCHURCH BOARDINGHOUSE

THREE DEAD, NINE INJURED

INMATES FRANTIC WITH FEAR AND BURNS

FEW ESCAPE WITHOUT INJURY By Telegraph.—Press Association, Christchurch, November ID. A disastrous fire, involving loss of life, occurred early this morning in a boardinghouse and diningroom, known ns thb Silver Grid, situated in Manchestei Street, near the railway station. The property was owned by. L. E. Nathan's trustees, in London, and leased by Mr. John Pereival Smith. The alarm was given at 2.37 o'clock, and when the Fire Brigade arrived tli6 (lames were bursting out of the front ol the building, and leaping twenty feet across the street. Staircase Burned and Escape Cut Off. The main efforts of tho brigade were devoted to saving the lives of the in- - males. The bodies of the dead and injured were carried to the balcony and lowered to the pavement. The burning of the only staircase in a narrow wooden | structure cut off escape to. the ground floor, the only means of escape for the inmates being a couple of fire-escapes at the back of the building, or through the. front windows. To go through the windows was deemed suicidal, as the flames were surging upwards, and (he glass in the verandah below was a trap. Men went frantic with fear and burns, and gruesome scenes were witnessed as inmates leaped from the front windows tc. the verandah and smashed through the glass, cutting themselves. Soma of them stumbling along shrieking and groaning in panic.

Those Who Perished. Those who perished ill (he flames An elderly man named F. W. Hatch. A voung woman named Mrs. I!lsi6 'Stack, employed at the boardinghouse. A young man named Thomas Smith, employed at Skelton and Ifrostick'f> boot factory. The Injured. The list of injured is as follows:— Mrs. John Percival Smith, wife of the lessee, severely burned and cut. He! condition is critical, and she is_ not expected to live through the night. ■William Vincent, aged 35, slightly burned. David Moore Arthur, aged CO, severely burned. George William Spicer, aged f7, slightly burned. , , ' Ted Gledhill, aged 23, severely burned, and suffering from shock. William I-eeney, aged 50, severely cut on the legs. John Peroivnl'Smith, aged 40. severely cut on the right hand and wrist. George Sullivan, aged 20, severely burned and cut on the neck. Henrv Herbert Beer, 45 years of age, severely burned and cut about the. face niid body, and suffering from slight shock. Origin of the Fire a Mystery. An air of mystery surrounds tho origin of the fire, which had a good hold before tho alarm was given, and appears lo have started upstairs, near the front of the building. There were eighteen or twenty persons sleeping in the house. Most of the boarders when they reached tho street were m their night clothes, some of these being singed Few reaped without injury ot some kind. Fortunately a good water snpolv was available, and the firo was confined to the boardinghouse, though the adjoining buildings and contents were damaged. . The buildin" was insured for Ato m the Union Office.

Experience of the Lessee. Mr Smith, tile .lessee of the premises, was sleeping in an upstairs room in the front of the building. He was awakoned by the crash of glass, and on opening tlio door was confronted by a considera bio volumo of smoke. He went to the room next door, occupied by his sister-in. law (Miss S. Joyce) and Mrs. Elsie Stack After rousing them no rushea back'to his room, thinking to escape by the window, which opened on to a narrow -balcony, but the flames ■ forced him to retreat. He then rushed back to his room in time to see his wife jump out oil to the verandah and roll off to the g onnd. Mrs/Stack meanwhile had been on the balcony, but the flamw drove her hack nTid she re-entered the room. She evide'nth tried to get through the pasB age and was suffocated on the land ng. Later she was taken from the but died just as tho Fire Superintendent "Mwnwhne Mr. Smith had gone to the second window of the bedroom, where the flames and smoke -ere not so He had hold of Miss Jovce, and as they clambered over the balcony both fell through the iron framework, hanging suspended in an unenviable postion. Fortunately they were able to getup, and thov staggered along the verandah to a window above nn empty shop, through which they escaped* Recovering the Bodies. Tho firemen had a gruesome task recovering the bodies. . That of Hatch was found in a small room which had one door but no window. Tho man had evidently not gone to bed, his body being fully dressed, ;vcn to boots and hat. Tt was lying huddled in a corner near the door, with a pillow under the head. . .. The other man's body was literally roosted. It was lyintt across the framework of a skylight giving light to the dining-room skylight at the bottom of the well where the fire Taged most fierce-

' Smith, in escaping from the window, had evidently groped his way towards the passage, hut was overcome on tho skylight. The body was chnrred beyond recognition. Mrs Stack evidently died of suffocation She van clad in night attire, and the flames had not affected "her a great deal her hair not even being singed and her checks still showing a healthy colAnother Death in Hospital. Fortunately thero were a few coolheaded folk to look,after the maddened escapees from the building. Mr. T. Dndd whoso tea-rooms are in tho same block', a few doors nearer the railway station, was early aroused with his family. He said that at about 2.30 a.m. he was aroused by the sound of fire, and went out at once. He was there fully ten minutes before the brigade arrived, ond in that time some horrible scenes were enacted. Men escaping from the front morns rushed alonsr thfe verandah, nnd were able, fortunately, to escape through Mr. Dodd's upper windows. It was a phnstly business, and even this morniwf the 'traces of it could be seen on a few of the unbroken verandah panes, where the victims had passed along. One man had the calf of his leg almost severed. Another man went absolutely mad, and enreered right along the verandah, smashing glass at every step, and finally threw himself down on the road. The scene was a shambles._ On the other side of the street the victims were gathered waiting for the ambulance. , ... 1. Mrs. .T. V. Smith (wife of the proprietor) who was badlv cut in escaping along thi< verandah, died in hospital this afternoon from shock. She makes the fourth victim. INMATES TRAPPED ON TOP FLOOR "FRANTIC WITH FEAR AND ' BURNS." There is an air of mystery about tho orgin of the fire. Nobody seems to have noticed it before it had a good hold, nnd tho nlnrin was late in being given, although the brigade turned out smartly. Apparently the fire started .upstairs, somewhat near the front of the building. Neighbours were nlarmed almost i>s soon as tho inmates. There may have been eighteen or twenty persons slocping on

tha promisee, and it seems as if few escaped without injury of some kind. Tho first that wis known of tho firo was when tho interior was blazing fiercely, and it seems as if tho burning of tho only staircase, a narrow wooden structure, had cut off all cscapo to tho bottom floor; consequently the main means or escape was by a touple of iron firo escapes at the back of the building or through the front window.', but to get out of tho front windows seemed almost suicidal, for the flames wero surging upwards and tho gloss verandah was a, ''lien are said to have gone absolufely frantic with fear and burns, and some gruesome scenes were witnessed. As the inmates leaped from the front windows on the curving glass verandah they smashed through tho glass, cutting hands and feet. As they stumbled along they shrieked and groaned ill panic, llie sight was quite unnerving, and the tragedy was deepened by the fact that the number of persons who had perished in tho building was unknown.

AN AWFUL EXPERIENCE STORY OF A BOARDER WHO ESCAPED. Superintendent Warner says. the experience was the worst he had ever gone through. , . . Mr F. Perrin, who was staying at the Silver Grid, occupied a bedroom by himself in the middle of the building. ' I think it was about a quarter to three," he said in relating his experiences, "when I was awakened by the sound ot falling glass. Only half awake, I thought that the noise, was caused by a duet-cart taking rubbish away at the back. Immediately afterwards I heard a crv of 'Five!' I then became wide awake. I 'had shut the door and window of my room, and consequently there was no smoke inside, but the jassags was filled with smoke and the ail' was hot. I heard people saying This way to the fire escape,' and followed in that direction. Others had gone there before me. It was the fire escape' at the back of the building. We let the iron ladder down and got 6afely tq the ground. Between fifteon and sixteen persons wero saved by that cscapo. I was tho last to leave of those who were not severely injured I saved my dothes, but lost 10s. in cash. After I escaped I went round to the front and saw some of the victims brought out. It was a sight tliat cannot be described. Most of the boarders when they reached the street wero ill their night clothes. Some of the men wore nothing but their shirts, and some of these ware singed. It was an awful experience."

s ~ ♦ A Press Association telegram from Christchurcli states that an inquest on the victims ot the fire was formally opened yesterday'.afternoon, and was adone 0 f the victims of the fire," was for 40 yoars a compositor in the' "Lyttelton Times" office. Mrs. Stark leaves two children, one aged tljreo years and the other twelve inonths.Press Assn.