The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-12-02
4 FIFTH WARD FIRE.
The Burning of n Tenement-severaI Fami-
lies Turned Out OF Doors.

Herman Lunning, grocer, of 2S Thomas
street, 1ndlng the pipe Of his beer pump frozen
yesterday morning, sought to thaw 1t out by
burning paper around It. The pipe was In a
low -celled cellar under his grocery. Its 1oor
was Uttered with combustbles, into which a
piece of burning paper fell. and In a few seconds
the flames communicated with kerosene soaked
boards above thence to the oil barrel itself, and
In less than i've minutes the Gre was near tho
roof.
The building Is tenement, thirteen OF whose
sixteen apartments were occupied by families.
There wes only one staircase, and II was narrow
and wanscotcd, making a chimney OF exceed
ngy combustibe material. Tho occupants at
home at that hour were women and children.
When the dense volumes Of smoke apprised
them OF their danger they rushed to tho stair
way, only to nnd that avenue OF escape wholly
cut on 10y the Are. A 0re escape runs np the
outside OF the building, on a line with the stair
case. Tho flames were pouring out Of the win
dows r9Gt into the fire escape, so that II was as
WORTHLESS. Tor life-savinR purposes as the stair
IRE bewlldcred women and children had no
refuge but the roof, and they were soon runnln ng
wildly over II, hanging over the edge adjoining
Watts refinery, or striving madly to climb up
the wal Of tue building adjoining on the west
aldo.
The hrcmcn were gre lily otstructed by frozsn
nrc plugs. aud after they had mt their sire iIns
It was seen that tue part Of the building around
the stairway could not oe saved. Little impress
sion was ina lie upon tls namce. The roof be-
gan to hc.t and smoke, aud the women i'm
pri soned on 1t. soma of them hugeiug infants
to their Breasts ran from coping to coping
screaming.
The employees OF Claim h Co. cid their ut.
most to provide means Of escape for the women
and children on tie roof, and mainly owing to
their efforts ladder wns cot to the prisoners
just as tho truc kmcn " No. 4 got their ladder
tu the roof Of Blatt's refinery. Sever nremen
asccnded to the roof Of the burning tenement,
which was cracking nnl or the point OF Lurst-
ing out. Thomas Norm n twisted a clothes
line into cable and let down one woman,
Foreman Reeves, Assistant Foreman sullivan,
James Willmore aud Martin Grill helped the
women and children to descend until the roof
was cleared, and as the last fireman started
down. the roof blazed out. ono Mrs. Norman
hsd been lying bedfiI den aud alone IN the f.th
story, but the flre anu smoke Inspired her with
strength enough TO reach the roof. When the
nr,men learned that no life wes imperilled
soon extiuguished them.
The occupants Of tho tenement are homeless
and destitute. The 1re left them no time to
save ANYTHING. All the afternoon they stood Ia
the icy air, lOking moutniully upon the ruins
Late IN the afternoon Mr.. Purcell, who lives Op
uosite. built fire in his cell ar, and invited the
sufferers 10 lodge there for he night. Nr Rich
ARD Purcell furnisned tholn wttn food from his
restaurant.
The damage 10 the building is estimated by
tao owner, David Briggs. at $500. lie IA fully
Insured.