COLNEY HATCH ASYLUM FIRE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 January 1903, Page 3

COLNEY HATCH ASYLUM FIRE.

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.] London, Jan 28. Three hundred and thirty pauper cripples and ICO quite bedridden occupied a wooden annexe at Colney Hatch Asylum containing five wards connected with the main building by a corridor which the firemen demolished, confining the conflagration to the annexe. A nurse first discovered the fire in the storeroom. The fhmes spread with the greatest rapidity despite the efforts of tha asylum firemen, who were soon aided by 35 London engines and 200 firemen. h The nurses and attendants of the whole asylum made gallant efforts and succeed! d in rescuing 280 inmates, Dr Steward, medical superintendant personally saving scores. The worst occurred in ward five where the suicidal patients were housed, 35 out of 70 perished. 1G perished in ward four. Some of the patients were quite calm, others gleeful. Some were frenzi?d and fought their rescuers, hiding under beds. One bit one of the nurse's fingers off. No nurse- was killed, though several were injuwd. Later. Some patients in the Colney Hatche evading the nurses roamed the grounds in their night attire until tha morning. The charred remains of a number in five wards were unrecognisable. The stewards state the water was abun dant in the main building. The death roll numbers fifty-two. The press insist that there should be a etrict inquiry into the outbreak.