The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-05-23
ANOTHER FIRE DISASTER.
Ten Persons Burned and Crushed 10 Death
in Montreal.

in Montreal.
An awfully disastrous fire occurred i'll
the building of the Oil Cabinet Com
pany, in st. Urbain street, Montreal.
Ten persons were killed, and many more
were seriously injured. The building
was five stories high, of wood, and
himsily constructed. At five O'Clock in
the morning the fire was discovered, and
an alarm quickly brought the tircnen to
the place. The flames at first were con-
fined to the upper story Of the building,
being checked by the flow of water from
thirteen nozzles; but soon they broke
forth again from the windows. The
tiremen were working in various parts Of
the building, as we'll as outside. The
fire descended to the lower stories with
extraordinary rapidity. Shortly before
six o'clock, men in the second story
were called from their post, and no
sooner had they descended from the Will
dows than the flames belched forth spite
fully, as if to overtake them. Reckless
in their endeavors, they raised n Skinner
ladder, and three of them ascended with
hose. The water that they poured into
the lower stories seemed for the time to
obtain the mastery; but suddenly the
wind changed, and tho flames enveloped
the whole street. The wind instantly
veered again, and the firemen who had
A. acended were found at the foot of the
ladder terribly burned. The heat in st.
Urban street was so terrible that the
shingle roofs, doors, and window frames
ignited; but they were prevented getting
ablaze by the fremen, who had their
wits about them.
At about six o'clock the wind assisted
the flames more etfectually than before.
1t raised clouds Of red-hot splinters, and
deposited them on the roofs of TIE ada
cent dwellings in Vitre street. The oc-
cupants of the rickety-built tenements
became alarmed, and moved their goods
in remarkably short time. The heat
from the works set fire to saloon and
the dwellings adjacent; but continuous
pouring OF water soon put that out. The
fire N the upper flat did not abate III
fury, however, and the basement became
ablaze, and the roof, which fell i'll by
sections, increased the fuel that fed the
flames. After the whole of the roof had
fallen, the upper portion of the walls
bulged outward, and it was apparent to
all the spectators that the walls were
sure to fall and that nothing could save
the buildings adjacent Common wooden
shanties) or the fremen close by. Chief
Patton, who had sent his men into an
alley, was awake to this fact, and ran to
call them out.
Reddy, Nolan and Holtby, of Engine
1, were en- the roof of Beauchamp's
store directing a stream on the houses in
Vitre street. The chief had barely got
the words out of his mouth calling them
away, when the rear wall fell and buried
them. He received injuries from which
it is doubtful whether he will recover.
The cry Instantly went up that the men
were buried. jack Rockingham, of en-
CINE 9, entered the alley with two others,
to endeavor to rescue the buried men.
Holtby had by this time wriggled out of
the ruins, but the other two were buried
almost up to their necks. They were
powerless, but conscious, and were
roasted alive. Buckingham and his COM
panions were utterly powerless to save
them. Chief Patton's son rescued uS
father, with the assistance of Mr.. Charles
Garth. Rockingham went out for help,
which he soon obtained. Even with the
additional aid the two buried tiremen
could not be extricated.
Rockingham went ont for more assist
ance. He had barely emerged from the
alley when the other portion Of the wall
fell, and covered all who stood within
reach. Intense excitement ensued.
Firemen run frantically about looking
for comrades. Work was at once COM
menced amid the scorching dcbris. 1t
was found that the falling wall had
RACED to the ground the rear portion Of
the undertaker's store, and there i'll the
ruins lay the bodies. Within foot Of
the surface was discovered heap of
them, some lifeloss, others in the throes
OF Il. ath, and others barely conscious
The MANNED were carried as tenderly rs,
under the excitement of the occasion,
could be expected, to an ambulance, and
taken to hospital. The dead were pat
in the coffins that were close at hand, and
taken away. Ten persons were killed
and as many more were badly burned
and mangled.