New-York tribune., 1882-02-22
FLAMES IN AN ASYLUM.
THE LIVES OF MANY LUNATICs IN DANGER.

BY FIIGHT-rIIE DAMAGE SZO,UOO
A disastrous fire occurred yesterday morning in
tho Kings County Lunatic Asylum, in Clarkson-
ave, Flatbush, L. l.. endangering the lives of up
ward Of 1000 insane persons. Fortunately it was
Brought under control with only slight loss of life
one sick person being sufOcated and another dying
it is supposed, from fright-and moderate amount
Of damage TO the building. The lunatic asy-
l1m IL one of row of four county
institutions in Fatbush, detached from each other
and extending for quarter of mile along the ave-
nue.. These institutions are the almshOuse, hOsp-
tai, nursery and asylum, the latter being the
farthest eastward. Ii has frontage of about 600
feet, and consists of a main structure and three
wings on either side. The fire broke out about G:3O
a. III. on the top floor of the east wing known as
Ward o. in a clothes closet close to the main cOrr
dor The first alarm was given by Peter Condor,
the nurse in the ward, who smclled the smoke.
He hastily ordered the patients under him
to pass down the stairs. Tho news rapidly
spread 10 the other wards close by, and all the
doctors and nurses were informed. Immediate
measures were taken to get water on the flames.
The hose of the building was attached to Il steam
pump capable of throwing 900 gallons minute.
Notice OF the need of aid was sent to the fire com
pany of Flltbush and to the Brooklyn Police ana
Fire Departments NJ 600. The ringing Of the ire
bell on the engine house in East Broadway called
together the tlltbuSh Fire Company, numbering
thirty five. with Forcman Mckinney at their head,
and their hand-engine speedily at the fire At
the same time two BROOKLYN engines, with Chef-En-
ginecr Nevins and squad of Pollce, including tue
mounted force, arrived.
In the meantime Medical Superintendent John c.
Shaw, his assistants, Drs. Plympton, Ferris and
Bowen the forty nurses, and the other employees of
the Asylum were doing all in their power to care
for the patients and to stay the progress of the
flames From all the wards in the east wing, Nos g,
z and o. the patients were taken by the doctors
and nurses out of the building into the yard at the
rear. Tho-e in the adjoining wing were moved
through the corridors to the third wing, and the
heavy iron doors between the wings in the main
corridor were closed. BY this means the fire was
confined to the wing where it originated II speed
ily spread to the roof and carried to the floors
below by Goals falling down the register tues III the
walls. As soon as arrangements could he made the
female patients, who occupy the wings in the end of
the budng farhcst from the place of the fire, were
| crowded together two or more being
put in one room. and places were found
for the men who had been removed from
the burning part of the structure. In Wards and
s were many noisy and dangerous patients, who
created much confusion in passing ont of the build
ing Som~ one III is not known who opened gate
in the high picket fence surrounding the yard at
the rear of the asylum ana before u was discov-
cred hy the doctors not less than eight of the pa
tentS had made their escape. All were young,
active men, and three Of them had escaped before.
Some of the mounted policemen set out in pursuit
made known. About 5 o'clock two men were
seen hurrying across the muddy fields in the north
ern part of the town near the l'r0oklyn city Ine
One OF the escaped patients was found later IN the
day in the Tenth Brooklyn Precinct, and returned
to the asylum.
TO hear upon the flames they were brought under
control The lack Of sufficient wafer was apparent.
The water supply for the county buildings comes
from Brooklyn but only n fouT-inCh Pipe connects
with the street main. On the upper floors OF the
asylum the water supply Is oiten LACKING.
Engineer Sickenna. who has general charge Of the
Comfy buildings, says that if there had been "a
water pipe and hose on each floor of the asylum as
H. had recommended for the past 1--WE years, the IRE
might readily have been eXtlngnl'hed Ihe whole
east wing of the asylum was Ito. ded with water and
the fire was Subdued by 1880 O'Clock The two mp
per floors were completely burned out and the root
fell i'm. The lower floors were damaged by water
hut the closed doors prevented any damage to the
next wing. The total amount Of damage Is eStl-
mated at about 100000.
In the RUNS about 1 p. M the burned body of
the only patient directly injured by the fire was
found underneath the room he occupied. He was
john Schoirld age sixty, an inrurable paTaytic
Efforts were made to rescue him after the other pa
trnts were removed from the ward where the fire
occurred, but the dense smoke prevented entrance
TO the corridor One of the luuatics carried out
fellow pa lent who was paralyzed. Some of the
uuatics displayed much more presence OF mind than
of removing bedding and other inlammablc
materials from the wards where the fire was likely
20 extend. On going about to see II an the patients
| had been removed from Ward No. Z, DrS. Plympton
aud Bowen found Thomas l!assett, who was suffer
| ing from curvature OF the spine ana emaclatlon ol
the left lang az the point of death 1t is thought
| thot he suffered from fright, which ag-
grayated his symptoms, ana he dlcd from cardiac
syncopc before he was takes from his room Two
other deaths were reported, hut they were of pa
trnts whose death had been expected and who died
in the course of the night: c,.,
uuatics who had been placed in one of the cells in
thp womens wing where the glass Is not protected
by wire on the inside, violently broll TIE
glass with both hands shouting: flre Muir
some time before a keeper could quiet him. An
other lnpatic wanted to know if the Judgment Day
had come and if fire engines were devils. While
a hose was being carried up ladder by the tiremen
attached to the asylum, who were only appointed
last week, the ladder broke and they were thrown
to the ground. Thomas FOran formerly OF New
Lots had two Iibs broken anu was injured inter
nally The Commissioners OF Charities and Cor
rection. Mcssrs, Van Siclep, Nissan ana Ivan
were at the institution while the lire was In progress
and directed DR.. Shaw to make rrqnsltlon Tor any
thing which he should need for the use of the pa
tionts An order was issued for scyenty-ive new
bedsteads and 200 blankets. AT the regular meet
ing of the Commissioners yesterday afternoon res
olution adopted TO request the supervisors to
take immediate action for the repair OF the building
and To call attention TO the need OF more adequate
provision for escape in case OF hre IRON that part Oh
ihe almshouse occupied by women. The
Commissioners also resolved 10 make careful
ipouiry into the causes of the fire, and thanked the
liremen of both Brooklyn and Flatbush for their
services. ~,
As to the cause of the fire, the only reasonable
theory appeared to be that one OF the patients
deliberately set fire the contents OF the closer IN
which were stored spare beds and clothing. The
gas was burning in the halls and a patient may
have secured light from it, "a the burners are not
out of reach The nurse who smelled the smoke
opened the closet and found it just bursting INTO
flames The fire might have been Subdued at once
if water had been at hand 4,
Streams of water were kept pouring upon the
bnrnst mart of the asylum yesterday afternoon until
with the rain all danger of smouldcrng ilre was past
An estimate will be made today OF the amount
needed for repairs and the Board of Supervisors Will
ac in tne mnttar tO-mOrrOw. The total number OF