The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-22 00:00:00

FIRE AT LIVERPOOL.

A. block of buildings in Shaw's alley, Mersey-street,
Liverpool, was on Wednesday morning burnt to the
ground, and six persons burnt to death in their beds,.
The Liverpool Daily Post of yesterday thus describes
the terrible disaster :

" The lower portion of the premises whisk were the
scene of this morning's conflagration, was occupied by
Robt. Dodds as a bakehouse, and has been so for more
than three years. It was in this part of the edifice that
the fire originated, and it was discovered by an old man
named John Gallacher, who worked with Mr. Dodds,
and who slept in the bakehouse. About 1 o'clock Gal-
lecher was awoke by a strong heat, and on springing up
he discovered that the tables and the stairs, as well as
the door of the bakehouse were in a blaze. He imme-
diately rushed out, shouting 'Fire I' as loud as he was
able, the fames following him in a dense volume.
"° On the landing cf the stair above the bakehouse a
poor lad, about 12 years old, named Patrick Roach, one
of the street shoeblacks, had been for some time paet a
tolerated lodger, and was also awoke by the heat and
crackling of the flames ; he, as fast as possible, huddled
on his clothes, and shouted up stairs to alarm the sleep-
ing inmates of the upper floors. In doing this the firs
gained so rapidly upon him as to envelope the stairs and
cut off the possibility of his retreat. In this perilous
predicament the only alternative which presented itself
to the poor little fellow was to leap from the window,
a height of about 14 feet, which he luckily accomplished
without sustaining any injury.
"As soon as it was possible to gain access to the pre-
mises the firemen rushed in to rescue the inmates who
it was known had not come out, and whemit was hoped
they might be able to save. On gaining entrance, how-
ever, the appalling fact was revealed that the unhappy
sufferers were beyond the reach of aid. The principal
portion of the upper premises, to the back, was in the
occupation of Mr. Fagan, who kept a small book and
chart shop in the neighbourhood of the Custom-house.
On entering the apartments occupied by him, he
and his wife and three children were all found dead,
'several of them being very severely scorched. Mr. Fagan
was about 45 years of age, and the children were aged
' respectively about 8,5, and 2 years.
"The uppermost floor, or attic, was occupied as the
! sleeping-room of a man named Wade, about 74 years of
age, who kept a children's school in the floor below.
He also was found lying dead, and much scorched. The
bodies were removed to the deadhoase." _ _

An inquest was held upon the bodies of the deceased
before Mr. Statham, the deputy coroner, yesterday atter-
noon, when the following evidence was adduced :
Timothy Moran, joiner, Sharland-street, said, the de-
ceased, Daniel Wade, was his father-in-law. He was TI
years ef age. Had seen him lying dead in the dead-
house that morning. He lived in th 3 house which was
burnt down. Witness had seen the house in ruins that
morning.
Thomas Carpenter, boarding-house-keeper, living in
Charlotte-place, knew the deceased John Fagan and his
wife very well, and the house where they lived in Shaw's-
alley, where they had lived about two years. They lived.
in the top floor. Deceased had a glass of punch with
witness at his house at a quarter past 11 o'clock on Wed-
nesday night. He was perfectly sober when he left wit.
ness's house. His wife was a very sober woman. Fagan
was a chart and bookseller, and had a small shop and
stall opposite the Customhouse.
Patrick Roach, aged about 11 years, stated that ort
Wednesday night he was sleeping on the landing of the
stairs when the fire took place. About half-past
o'clock in the morning heard an old man who slept in
the cellar shoat " Fire," and witness then shouted
" Fire" upstairs, but could get no answer. Witness
saw the fire coming under the door of the oilskin place,
and was obliged to make his escape out of the window.
He then went for a policeman to Park-lane. Brought
az officer, who went off for additional assistance. While
on the stairs witness beard Mrs. Fagan scream out, but
did not see her. When witness got into the street he
saw the old man Wade, who slept in the top room,
come to the window, and heard him call out ," Is there
no help !" He said nothing more, but appeared to fall
back from the window.
John Gallacher, an old man, formerly a Beeman, stated
that he had recently worked in Robert Dodd's bake-
house, 14, Shaw's-alley. Slept in the bakehouse on
Wednesday night. Neither of the ovens was heated
after 6 o'clock that night. They had been heated in
the morning to bake dinners. The ovens were heated
with sawdust. There was not much sawdust on the
premises on Wednesday night. Went to bed about 11
o'clock, having first turned the gas off at the meter.
Witness was awakened this morning by the crackling of
the fire on the stairs. He immediately got up and ran
into the street in his shirt. He afterwards tried to get
his clothes, but could not, and went into a neighbour's
hones, where he remained until daylight. A man named
M'Carthy occupied the first floor. He made oilskin
coats for sailors. Did not think any one was in that
roof" on Wednesday night. The top floor was occupied
by Mr. Fagan and his family, who occupied the front
roore, and the schoolmaster (Wade) the back room.
Witness did riot know how the Ere commenced. When
he first save the fire on the stairs it bad not communi-
cated with the eilskin room.
Robert Dodds, who occupied the bakehouse, said he
baked three times, the last time being about five in the
evening. The oven was heated with sawdust, Nvhich was
put in the bottom, lighted, and stirred up with a Poker.
Witness rented the entire premises, and sub let tot the
poor people who were burned. The stock in trade eves
ire/eared fcr 1001. in the Liverpool and London office.
Bartholomew M'Carthy, who occupied the middle
room as an oilskin manufacturer, wan also
examined.
He stated that be was not on the pre last night.
There was no oil in the place, and he had had no fire
there for some time.
Wm. Ryan
salor-boy, belonging to the ship Isaac:
Webb, deposed that he saw the old man Gallacher stand
ing at the bakehouse door, calling "Fire." Witness ran
fur a policeman. The fire-brigade afterwards came, and
after the fire had been subdued witness mounted a ladde
and went into the top room, where he saw the bodies of
Fagan, his wife, and three children. The body of the
woman was under the window, resting on the shoulders,
with her feet towards the window. John Fagan, the
father, bad his legs burnt off. He and the children were
huddled together in a corner.
The following verdict was returned :--‘' That the de-
ceased persons met their deaths by being burnt, but how
' the fire originated there is us, evictions to