The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-10-14 00:00:00

DEATH OF A LONDON FIREMAN.

Early on Saturday morning a fire occurred on the
premises of Mr. Brown, chymist, at 98, I:ray's-bur-
ro:ld, attended by the loss of life to a member of the
Metropolitan Fire Brigade named Ford, who died
nobly in the discharge of duty, and after he had been
mainly instrumental in saving the lives of six perSORK.
The ularm of the fire reached the Holborn station of
the brigade a few minutes before two o'clock in the
morning, and Ford, who hal charge of the fire-escape
there, vras son on the spot with his machine. The
flames MO then obtained a considerable hold upon the
house, awl the inmates were imploring help from
the bystanders. Planting his escape against the built-
fog, he ascended to a window in one af the
upper floors, and with the assistance of Police-
constable tieorge Carter, succeeded in bringing
live of the inmates down awl landing them
safely. This done, frantic cries for help by a woman
were heard from the same window, upon which Ford
again climbed up the escape, and was engaged in con-
veying her down, when flames rushed from a first-floor
and set tire to the canvas shoot of the machine, enve-
loping him and her at the same time. In this extre-
mity, awl unable to hold her longer, he was obliged to
let the woman drop, and she fell to the ground, with-
out, however, sustaining any serious injury. The
escape-man was not sri fortunate. The canvas of the
machine was then in flames, and in trying to make his
way down he became entangled in the wire net work,
where lie was seen plunging and kicking; the fire, it
is said, actually roasting him alive. By a desperate
effort he managed to strain the rounds of the ladder,
and breaking away the net-work, fell to the grournd,
but with sueh force as to double up his helmet, the
brass-work of which inflicted a dangerous wound on
his head. The flames about his burning clothes were
soon ertinguished, and he was removed in a pitiable
condition to the Royal Free Hospital, in the imme-
diate neighbourhood, where he lingered in great
agony until about eight o'clock on Saturday evening,
when death put an end to his sufferings.
The rinfortunate man was about thirty years of age,
and has left a widow and two children. He had been
about four years in the brigade and bore a good cha-
racter. The case of his widow and orphans will doubt-
less receive the consideration of the Metropolitan
Board of Works. He lost his life in the gallant dis-
charge of duty, and, but for him, the lives of six persons
would probably have been sacrificed. Having pre-
viously risked it in saving five of them, he made a still
more desperate attempt to rescue a sixth, in which he
succeeded, and in that heroic act he fell a victim to his
own courage. Poliewconstable Carter, on seeing the
fireman entangled in the wiresnetting of the machine,
and that his own escape by the regular way was im-
passible, glided down one of the lever ropes, and in so
doing rubbed the flesh off his bands. The fire was not
extinguished until the house, which was one of twelve
rooms, was burnt out and the roof destroyed. The
cause of the fire is unknown.