The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-11-28
Brave Fireman Lynch.
A THRIIIIHG STORY OF THE LATE TESEAgFT
HoUeK FIRE IE NEW YORK.


A reporter Of the New York Expres, visited
Bellevue hospital Sunday night week for
the purpose Of ascertaining the condition of
fierman Patrick Lynch, who, after savingtwo
children from being burned to death at the
Canon street fire on Thursday night preced-
ing, nearly lost his own life IN his efforts to
save Others He is burned in terrible man
ner, and it is not yet known whether he will
survive or not From his own lips the writer
received the following account
was it by the orders OF your foreman that you
entered the burning building?" inquired the writ
ter.
mo, sir. The foreman, noticing that st was ex-
tremely dangerous to enter, instructed bis men
not to do So had no idea Of going in until saw
a lot OF children and a woman on the second toor
trying TO escape, and scream ling as loud as they
could. L knew by the headway the flames were
making that in a second all of them would be
lost forgot orders, discretion, and everything
else and rushing through the smoke ascended the
staircase. 1 succeeded in getting hold of the
children and after making sure OF their safety,
started after the woman. knew when / ascend
cd the second time that could not return that
way and therefore, calculated saving the
woman and myself by getting out on the root
The woman in her night-dress, and as grab
bed her around the body the flames shot up and
burned the hair off my head and also burned my
hands. I clpng to her, however, but she fell life
less and then 1 found my sprained as
we'll badly burned. / also became very weak,
and vas almost suffocated with smoke. dragged
myself to the floor and tried to get through the
scuttle but found 1t nailed down tight. 1t was
then realized my own danger. There were two
doors leading to apartments on that floor, bu:
both of them were locked, and was too weak to
force the locks. 1 don't know how long was on
the floor 1t seemed like age to me, but Il
could not have been more than few seconds. 1t
was sufficiently long however, for me to think OF
every act of my life. Things which happened
when 1 was boy came to my m ind, and, If 1
felt certain that escape impossible, I prayed
to God TO forgive all the wrongs had ever done
him. At that moment thought Of my wife and
children and determined TO make one last ef-
fort. Rushing to the front Of the hallway no.
ticed window, and without conjecturing car
ing where Il led to, for by this time the flame .
were top OF me, threw myself against it and
/ fortunately landed on the hre-escspe There vas
no ladder to ascend descend, so my condition
J appeared very little improved. Noticing that by
jumping could catch the gutter of the roof, did
60, but my MANNED left unable to render
me any assistance and 1 fell back on the Ife-es-
cape.
"a dense volume OF smoke reminded m again Of
my danger, and the second time 1 grasped tho
gutter, and by suPerhuman effort reached tht
roof, where fell PROSTATE with weakness. TIVE
Of my associates on the engine reached me from
I an adjoining roof and carried me away in time
I This is all have TO say about the matter"
what do the doctors say about your case1 -
They say l will get well +: but, OF course thel
would not tell me anything else II they thought
would not recover. They are doing everything fl
their power for me, and know if 1t res:s will
them I Will get better"
Don't you think IT was very foolish for you &
enter the building when 1t was deemed haIArdou
by your fOremsn?''
That's what my wife and everybody else says
but don't see how any fireman or any nan coul
see s lot "f women and children burn to death an
not take long chances TO save them II the sam
thing was to happen tomorrow, and was we'll.
would certainly DO what did the other night"