The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-04-02
TEN PERSONS PERISH

In a BrnolIyn Tenement Heuso Fire
Narrow Esoapo or Othsra-saSPioisu
CircumstanceS.
NEW YORK. April 1.-Tan persons
persisted by suHocation In q Brooklyn
tenement house early to-day. The
names Of the victims are ~ followu.
The dead:
August Bruno, his wife and two
children. Sally, flve yearH old, and
Johanna, eighteen months.
Lena calabria. eighteen years old.
Nlcolo Tralia, eight years, his daugh..
ter.
Lena Tralla, twenty-four years.
DominiclI Tralla- his son, tweDty-tour
years. and eight-duys' -old baby.
Cornelia Marettl. twenty-six years.
The hre started IN the lower hallway
OF the building, which - q tour-story
tenement In Union street and before
the sleeping tenants could be warned
OF their danger all escape was cut on.
The flames swept up the stairwayB
and the halls and rooms were quickly
filed with smoke. Ten OF the tenants
were sttffOcated IN their beds.
The section OF the city where this ter
ribIe disaster occurred is near the water
front. The majority OF the residents
are Italians Of the poorer class, and
they form the biggest colony OF their
race in Brooklyn. The firemen sue
ceeded In gettig the fire under control
after q short time. The damage TO the
building Is estimated at $1,000.
There were many exciting incidents
connected with the fire. One man, an
Italian, whose name Is unknown.
jumped from window in the third
story and escaped with only few
burns and brlilses.
Narrow Escape.
The family OF Joseph Estoslte, living
on the second door of the house, had
narrow escape from death. When
aroused they found their way cut of
and the flames were sweeping Into
their apartments Estosito led his wife
and three children to the cornice IN
front Of the house and guided them
along It to the building adjoining, from
the roof of which they were taken by
firemen.
Each floor Of the burned building
was divided into five rooms. There
was one large front room, with two
windows opening on the street. a
small bed room adjolned, with g win
dow also opening on the street. In the
rear was another large room, with two
windows, with good sized kitchen ad-
Joining. The front and rear rooms were
connected by hall and. bed room
An Iron ladder at the rear OF the
house ran down between the kitchen
window and the window Of the rear
room, SO that II could easily be reached
from either window. 1t had been rem
dered so hot by the flames, however.
that the inmates Of the house dared
not use It. Except the fire esacpes the
only outlet from the crowded rooms
on the upper floors wes the narrow
wooden stairway, escape by which was
cut of soon after the IRE started.
After the FIRE had been extinguished
John Calabria was found Unconscious
lying on the fire escape. He had gotten
out Of a second story window. 50 COM
Dletely exhausted that he could go no
farther. He viii recover. His wife was
dead in her apartments, Subsequently
nine other bodies were found
story Not Believed.
When he had somewhat rallied from
the eRects Of suftocatiou and heat Call
abria told the story OF how he escaped
and left his wife behind without tre-
NOR. and. while he seemed to be still
somewhat dazed, he had clear con-
ception Of the events Of the night.
Later he said that he had tried to carry
his wife to the window, but could not
and hurt his hands in getting out He
had called for help, but none came, as
the "house was red before the tiremen
came. The Espositos were aroused by
the calls Of dre, and say that In five
minutes after they could not have got
out OF the building,
In most cases death was due to
suftocation. The bodies OF the Buno
family, who lived on the top floor, were
found huddled together. showing that
the family awoke during the tire and
made efforts to escape.
Buno's body was found close beside
the window. The italian family were
on the floor below. Fire Chief Dale
expresses the opinion that the IRE was
the work OF an incendlary. He says
that the flremen did not know that
there was anybody in the house until
after the frs had been extinguiShed.
The chief is not at all impressed with
the story CalabrIR tells. Tho latter
says he made several attempts to get
out of the burning building, but on ac-
count OF the heat could not. He finally
fell exhausted on the fire escape, where
he was found by the firemen. The man
was fully dressed and before he fell
on the escape he was seen by the fire.
men on the roof Of the burning build
ing.
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