New-York tribune., 1895-10-02
RAN BLAZING INTO THE HALL
A FATAL FIRE CAUSED BY POTS BOIL
ING OVER
MRS ERBs BODY WAS HORRIBLY BURNED. AND
HER INVALID MOTHER Is IN SERIOUS CON
DITIoN-THoUGH CRIPPLED, THE OLD
WOMAN HERoICALLY SAVED
HER GRANDCHTLD


HER GRANDcIuLD.
Mrs Lizzie Erb the young wife Of time
keeper on the Broadway Gable Road was
burned to death: her bed-ridden mother was
badly scorched and the big fve-story tenement
house No. 294 Henry-st., in which they nve
narrowly escaped being wrecked early last
night The accident was caused by the boiling
over of pot.
Mrs. Erb, her husband. who is a son of Cap
| tain George Erb. of the pilotboat Havemeyer;
their two children-one three years Old Whey
and the other an infant. and Mrs. Erb's widow
ed sister Mrs Ahearn. and her mother, Mrs
Mary Weinhelmer occupy five small rooms on
the second floor OF the tenement house. 1t had
been washing day with the family yesterday,
and at 6 o'clock in the evening Mrs. Ahearn
went out In the rear Of the tenement 10 hang
out the wet clothes, leaving Mrs Erb busy pre-
pairing supper in the kitchen and the older child
playing near her. while the baby slept with his
bed-ridden grandmother IN the next room. n
pan OF water, in which a ham was being boiled
stood on the stove. the side door OF which was
open. Suddenly the water in the pan boiled
over into the stove. and through the open side
door the live Goals sent flying TO every
side of'the kitchen.
In a moment Mrs. Erb's clothing was all abaze
She tried to shake out the flames. but failed and,
craZed with pain and terror, at length rushed
into the next ROOM In which old Mrs. Weinhemer
and the baby lying. and threw herself on
the bed beside them. trying to roll the blankets
and coverlid around her to smother the flames
She did not scream, although the fire had crept
into her hair and was burning her face to
crisp The children and the bed-ridden woman
shrieked at the top OF their voices Mrs Vein
heimer attempted in vain 10 tear off her daugh-
ter's burning clothes but she only succeeding in
burning her own hands and feet. and at length
as the flames crept around her, was compelled
to crawl away. carrying the baby and shriekng
for assistance
Their cries In the mean time had been heard by
two of the tenants. Mrs. Emma Murk. who was
on her way downstairs. and John Graham, who at
the time way on his way upstairs with scuttle
of coal Mrs Murk Informed Mrs Ahearn VINO
was still outside the house, that something was
wrong I'm her sisters rooms Mr.. Graham, drop
ping his burden. rushed into the Erbs kitcner
Before he could do anything. however Mrs. Erb
dashed past him. mass OF names, ana ran 10
sink I'm the hallway. He was obliged 10 trip her
up and throw her on the floor before he could pull
the clothing from her body His hands were bad
ly burned
Three or four nelghbors then ran for a physi-
clan One turned in a fire-aarm and three en-
gines ratified Up and the fremen eXtingushed
the blazing bed and carpet in the tenement one
OF the other neighbOrs returned with DR. Wander
bilt who lives nearby. and a third got police
send in hurry ambulance call to
Gouverneur Hospital, which brought Dr. Cronk
TO the house
Mrs Erb was conveyed 10 the ambulance and
taken TO the hospital Her case was hopeless
however. and she died short time after admit
tance. Her body frightfully burned. Her
mother. whose infrmltes untitled her to endure
q scene like that she had witnessed. remaine1
at home and l. IN a serious condition
The children escaped rrffur.. the baby through
the heroism OF the crippled grandmother.