The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-31 00:00:00

there was great cracking of glass. I stooped down to
avoid the broken glass when a young man jumped out
and knocked me down. The young man was not killed
at the time, but he was seriously injured. The man
Eastwood, his wife, and three children got out of the
window by means of a ladder which the police put up to
the window. A stranger went up the ladder and brought
down one of the children ; at that time a fire-escape bad
not arrived. Five persons were got out safely. No
engine. bad arrived at that time. I can't recollect when
the first engine arrived. Policeman 56 E first name to
my assistance. We sprang our rattles almost together
and I sent him for the fire-escaps, but not to the engine
station.

Toe Coroner—Are the fire escape and the engine-
station connected ?

Mr. Gaff (fire brigade)—No, they are not.
Witness continued—The only persons we saw were
those we took out and the young man who jumped out,
he came from the second floor window. I did not
see the other window touched. I saw no other living
person but those I have named at any of the windows.
When the last person was taken from the window, the
flames and smoke were so great from the basement that
I could not see the second window. It was about
five minutes after the last person was saved that thefire
escape came. It was there before either of the engines.
I cannot say which fire engine arrived first. The front
door was burning at tho time.
By a Juryman—The fire when I first saw it was
burning the Museum-street end of the building. I
knocked at the door and sprung my rattle. One part of
the door was burning at the time. The whole of the
lower part of the premises was on fire when I saw it,
but more towards Museum-street than the other. lam
sure the door was burning when I first saw the fire. I
can't say if the shutters were up in front of the shop.
Tne flames were rushing out in a body at the time.
By the Coroner—l was at the fire about two minutes
before the young man jumped out. During that time I
sprang my rattle, sent for the escape, and went back to
the young► man to desire him not to jump out, the
glass and flames rushed out against me, and at the same
moment the young man jumped out, fell on me, knocked
me down, and stunned me. My instructions with
reference to giving information to the fire engine sta-
tions and escapes are to go to all the nearest stations
and give an alarm. When the a cape arrived it could
not be used. It was higher than the windows, and the
flames from below prevented its use. It was put against
the adjoining house, and the fire-escape man went to the
roof.

By the Foreman—lt was about ten or twelve minutes
after I discovered the fire that the fire-escape came.
By a Juryman•-1 ktioN nothing of a boy giving in-
formation to the station ❑ear the church.
By the Coronc,r —I think most (,1 the delay in the
arrival el the eec ipo aro,;ti from the beanie of timber
across the street, to support the building, impeding its
progress,

By a Juryman—l think the cries proceeded from the
man who jumped out of the window. Ido not know
if the occupants of the adjoining houies were screaming.
.Tohn Curie, 8, Bury-street, Bloomsbury, painter and
'glazier—I was at the fire on Sunday morning about
20 mien es or half past two o'eloc. I was
first alarmed by the cry of murder and the sound of a
policeman's rattle, which occurred simultaneously. I
had just returned home, and had passed the end of Gil-
bert-street about five inmutes pas' 2. I immediately wont
to the fire, where I found two poiceinen, one of whom
was springing his rattl.., and the other was close against
the door. I don't think the door was on tire, but the
flames were coining through the shop window. It was
not great at first, though it was rasher a large flans that
came out of so small a shop; the door and window ap-
peared to join. I can't say if the door was broken open,
but I think not. I heard several calls or screeches.
Taere can be no doubt they came from the sec ind floor
window. I saw an arm put out of the window, and
pulled back again. It was not the man who jumped
out. The hand and arm were put out of the window
nearest Bury-street ; the party appeared to be in their
shirt or night dress.

Rev. R-.-Long, curate of Bloomsbury, said he had
often visited the house, and could state it was impossible
for any one to get out of the windows, because boards
were placed across them.

Witness continued—Mr. Eastwood was at the window
when I put the ladder up, about three or four minutes
after I got there. I saw the Land and arm before I saw
Mr. Eastwood at the window. I did not see it afterwards.
I went up the ladder and bropg'ot down a little girl
about nine or ten years of age. Mr. Eastwood then
went back into the room. After that I brought down
Mrs. Eastwood and an infant in her arms. Mr. East-
wood went back a second time, and got a little boy put,
and then came down the ladder himself. Mr. Eastwood
went in and brought them as cairn and as co.l as if ho
was following his ordinary employ ; but when ho came
down he was overcome—he fell into my arms and said,
" Ob, my dear boy,-I have not a rag left." Neither fire-
escape nor engine had then arrived. It was a quarter
of an hour or so after Mr. Eastwood was got out that the
fire-escape or engine came. Had the ladder been long
enough I could and should have gorse to the second
floor wredow ; but when the fire-escape arrived, it
was impossible for them to render the inmates any aid—
all chance was gone. The fire-escapernau was willing t: go
up, but I put my hand upon his shoulder, and said, "You
can't live up there," and he then put the escape against
the adjoining house and went on the roof. When the
escape arrived, the flames were rushing out of the sky-
light. The poor man,who jumped out was first laid on
the opp ,site side of the street.
By a Juryman—When I took out the chill the flames
were issuing from the shop window, but net from the
door. I did not see the door opened. When the police
came we were all driven back for the firemen to work,
and I can't say what was done then. Nu flame at first
issued fro:u the first or second floor window. Wben I
mounted the ladder and looked in at the window there
was no fire in the first floor. Mr. Eastwood was burnt
coming down the ladder. After the policemen drove
me back I stood on the buildings opposite, and saw the
walls at first ft 1 course by course. If the fire-escape
had arrived earlier, or I had had a longer ladder, more
lives could have been saved. The ladder was so hot
that I could not hold the sides in my hand as I went up
and down. A policeman knocked at the door violently,
and pulled the bell.

John Eastwood, one of the occupiers of the house,
whose life was providentially saved by the last witness,
deposed—l am now living at 42, ;Iluseurn•street. I itin
a carpenter by trade. I occupied a front and back
room on the first floor, under those occupied by the
Hedgers. I was fir.,t awoke by my wife. She said,
"John, there's a row; what is that crackling noise?" I
got up and said, "Dear ine, the pace is full of smoke."
I slept in the back room with my wife and one child,
and the other two children in the front room. I jumped
out of be 4, opened the door bet Neen the two rooms,
and, saw the racction of a fire in Gilbert-street.
I then went to the front window and looked
through it, and saw the flamed curling up over
the front of the adjoining window, which wes
immediately oirer the carpenter's shop. There was
flame at the landing,and ruching up the staircase. I shut
the front room door and locked it, to prevent my wife i❑
a moment of excitement attempting to escape that way.
It was impossible to escape by the stairs at that time.
I then rushed to the front window, opened it, got out-
side on to the shallow bale my, and called for as istance.
I heard the policeman's rattle immediately after my wife
awoke me. I called for assistance, and pointed to a
ladder at the new buildings opposite. I kept my wife
back from the window till the ladder was brought there.
I then handed my eldest daughter to the last witness.
We all fortunately got out without. injury. At the time
of my escape the room was nearly full of smoke, and was
accumulating. When I got ray last child out I could
scarcely see, but by stooping down I was able to look as
it were under it. The flame were just coming through
the front window as I got my little boy out. I lived at
20, Gilbert-street about three mouths. No one slept on
the ground floor. There was no haSement. The rooms
adjoining mine on the first floor were unoccupied. I
can't say when a person with a candle was last in the
carpenter's shop, I saw no light there on Saturday
night when I went to bed about eleve . o'clock.

By the Coroner—Have you formed any opinion as to
the cause of the fire

Witness-1 can't imagine.
The Coroner—You cannot conjecture ?
Witness -I have not the slightest idea. I saw nothing
to excite my vpicion.

_
By the Jury—l smelt Lothirg burning en Saturday
evening. No ono was at %yolk there whe❑ I went home
on Saturday. I have known the occupier of the shop to
be at work there so late as 7 o'clock, but I never knew
him to be there with any one smoking. I don't
know what time the shop closed on Saturday night.
The carpenter's shop was kept locked in the absence of
the occupier. If any one had been there to work on
Saturday night after I returned home I might have
heard it. I had no means of communicating with the
persons above. My the,tights ware directed to saving
my own family. We had made our escape by the ladder
before the fire-escape had arrived.

The Coroner—Yon have formed an opinion whence
the fire began ?

Witness---I am certain it was in the carpenter's shop,
hut when I can't say. The flames were rushing
up the stairs and out of the shop windows at the
same time.

By a Juryman—l don't think the fire could have
originated in the dust bin ; there was too much water
used there. I firmly believe it was in the carpenter's
shop. If it had originatel in the dust bin it would have
been under my bedroom.
By the Coroner--I heard no movement or screaming
overhead.

The Coroner proposed to examine Mrs. Eastwood,
hut the witness said she was in such an excited state
that he thought it would be dangerous for her to be
called'.

Thomas StulJbs, occepier of the carpenter's shop, was
next called. Ho said, I reside at 3, Little Russell-
street, and am a carpenter by trade. I rented the house
20, Gilbert-street, and undeilet it in tenements. Three
portions of it were occupied when the fire occurred. No
one was at work on Saturday, and the last time I was
there was between half-past 9or 10 o'clock en Saturday
morning ;no light was used then. I began work about
half-past 8 o'clock and left about half-past 9 o'clock. I
was called away by Mr. Taylor to the Caled“nian-
road, and did not retr rn again for the day. I have
kept no combustibles there. There was an accu-
mulation of shavings there at the time of the fire,
The shutters were down except one. Some glass
without a sbn! ter behind it was brolc,n near some
shavings. Any one might have thrown a light amongst
them. He had many times omitted to shut up the shop,
He was not insured, and be knew of no one who had
threatened to do him an injury. There was an opening
in the staircase through which a light might be thrown
on the shavings. He could only account fur the fire from
an accident arising from the inmates going up and down
the staircase with a lighted candle. Mrs. Hedger was not
a sober woman, and there were rumours she was out as