A Death Trap

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 39, 15 August 1893, Page 3

A Death Trap

♦ A cold stora.ee wnr«hou*e, one of the smallest building!* of the Chicago Worlds' Fair, but one which did not bcloni: to it. being ao exhibit of the Hercules' iron work*, ice and refrigerating machine manufacturer*, caught fire on July 1 Itli. and was the means of the death of fouriy firemen, and the building; prored a veritable death trap. The fire was not generally observed till 1.16 in the afternoon, and wiihin thirty minutes thereafter, ereat loss of life had occurred. At tinfirat signal the firemen nulled up to the huge shaft surrounding the «moke stack, : and when at the turnout began prepara* lions to fif ht i he flames, which first ap- . pen red at this point. Before the hose could be couplea a cry of horror from the crowd caused the firemen to look down. They were encircled with the flames, and one after another jumped to the roof ninety feet below, only to meet death in another form. So terrible was the spectacle that the crowd stood tmnsfixed with horror, all alike powerless to aid the unfortunate men. The fire did not extend to other buildings.