FIRE AT A LUNATIC ASYLUM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 24, 29 January 1903, Page 3

FIRE AT A LUNATIC ASYLUM.

BC VROITY OF WATER. GREAT LOSS OF LIFE. HEROIC EFFORT*. ] PIB FXSBS.ASSOeUTia*. f I/.NBON, January 27. The fire in the Oolney Hatch Asylum , started at 5.30 in the morning in an annexe containing 2000 women, who , were still in bed. A high wind was blowing and the ] annexe was quickly a miss of flimes. A pipe leading to the artesian well < was under repairs and the water supply was therefore scare". I Tbe fire brig ides which were in attendance, and tbe asylum officials and , attendant?, made heroic efforts to save the patient", but experienced difficulty in getting the afflicted people to understand their peril. Many resisted the attempts to rescue them, and tumWs . were overpowered in tbe coriido'S. Two nurses perished. The latest report, gives the number of deaths as fifty. FURTHER DETAILS. A TERRIBLE SCENE. Received 28, 11.81 p.m. liOHdon, January 28. Th°re were 330 pauper cripples, 100 beipg quite bedridden, occupying the j wocden tnnexe at Colney HatcLi Asylum, containing five wards, which are connected wi h tbe main building by a corridor which the fir«men de-, moUshed, thus cot.finirg the cenflagta-' tion to the ar nexe. I A Duife first discovered the fire in a! storeroom. ! Tie flimes spread with gr at rapidity, despite the effor's of the Asylum fiiemer, who were soon aided by 35 London engines ai.d 200 firenun. The nu-sfs and attendants at the Asylum made gallant e(Tor's, and succeeded inns uing 280 inmates. Dr. Se*ard, m»d.cal tuperinler dnot, personally saved stores. Tbe woist fitaltits recused in Ward No. 5, where the su'c dal patients arj housed, 35 out of 70 perishing. Sixteen perished in N\ i Ward. Somo of the piti.nts wers quite calm, whilo others were gleeful. S m > b came.so frenzied that they fought their r severe, and o*hcrs bid under the bedc One patient bit a curoe'* finger off. Nonursswere tilled, thnigh sev-ral Were injured.