The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-04-10 00:00:00

FALL OF HOUSES.

Shortly after one o'clock last Saturday afternoon
three cottages situated in New Summer-street, Bir-
mingham, suddenly fell to the ground with a terrible
crash, burying most of the inmates in the ruins, and
injuring more or less severely nine persons. The
houses, which were two storeys high, formed part of a
range of six, erected over a long malting room, which
has been disused for many years, and has since served
as a playroom for the children of the neighbourhood.
It is believed that some of the more mischievously-dis-
posed of these youths removed from time to time por-
tions of the woodwork of the room, and so deprived
the upper buildings of necessary support. No sus-
picion of danger was felt by the inha'aants until
Saturday, when one of the centl o houses of the
block suddenly fell in. A blind man named Bernard
Connor and his mother were in it at the time. The
occupants of one of the adjoining houses rushed out
just in time to see their own dwelling disappear in like
manner. A third house, which was occupied by a
family named Birchall, followed. Assistance was
promptly rendered, and the most energetic efforts
were made to extricate the sufferers. The first to be
rescued was a child named Violet Birchall, aged about
eight years. The fireplace of the lower room had fallen
upon her, and she was covered with dust and hot
cinders, which had burnt her very badly. Lying partly
across her, under the grate, was her father, William
Birchall, who was also nearly covered by the debris.
He appears to have been one of the most unfortunate of
the victims; his face was very badly burnt by the hot bars
of the fire-grate. After his removal to the hospital he
made a statement to the effect that being a tinker by
trade he was at work in the house near to the window,
which looked into the yard. His wife and family
were also in the room, seated near to the fire. He had
noticed some mischievous youths go into the "vaults"
underneath, looking for timber and "pulling the place
about," and his opinion was that they in some mea-
sure disturbed the foundations of the premises. While
at his work he was startled by the house tottering; the
walls crumbled and fell, and he and his family were
hurled down into the cellaring beneath. He stated that
the fire-grate fell upon him, and he remembered finding;
himself beneath the debris, with the hot firebars press-
ing against his face. He could not move his hands, for
they were held down firmly to his sides. He was in
that position for a considerable time, almost suffocated
with smoke and dust. He could see one of his daughters
near him being burnt by the hot cinders. A neigh-
bour named Bridgett Barrett, who lived in one of the
adjoining cottages, had just gone into Birchall's house
to take the kettle to be repaired, and she was unluckily
in the house when it fell. She was discovered among
the ruins almost buried, her head being downwards,
and the only parts visible being her legs. Fully an
hour elapsed before the injured people were rescued.
On their removal to the hospital it was ascertained
that William Birchall had sustained severe burns about
the face; while Violet Birchall and Rhoda Birchall
were badly hurn;, and contused about the legs, arms,
and body. The mother, Mary Birchall, had received
comparatively trifling injuries. Ann Connor had sus-
tained a fracture of the left leg and general contusions,
and Bernard Connor was suffering from several frac-
tured ribs, and was in a prostrate condition from the
shock. lathe evening a fourth home fell in, but it had
been previously vacated. The premises were all in a
very old and dilapidated state.

Violet Birchall, one of the children injured by the
fall of houses on Saturday, died in the hospital on
Monday afternoon. She had sustained terrible burns
about the legs, arms, and body from the overturning
of the contents of a firegrate, and was in a sinking state
when admitted to the hospital. The other sufferers
are progressing favourably.