New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-18
PERISHED IN THE SMOKE.
FIVE CHILDREN DIE AT A FIRE IN
TURNER'S FALLS. MASS.
THE FATHER OF TWO OF THE VICTIMS LOSES
HOLD OF THEM WHILE CARRYING
THEM DOWNSTAIRS FROM THEIR
ATTIC BEDROOM.

Turner's Falls. Mass April l7.-Five children were
suffocated In a tenement-hou fire in LIST. this
morning. The names OF the dead are Aime DUBOIS
four years old: Lena Dubois. seven, both cniidren
Of Joseph Dubois; Rosie Roumier Duboiss STEP
daughter girl OF thirteen Josephine Coumartine
twelve years DID, and Edward Counartne ten years
old, children OF Charles Coumartine. The children
were all French.
The fire started in the basemen. Of a market oc-
cupied by Roberts G. Son In four-story brick tene
ment- house, owned by the elder Roberts. 1t was
first discovered by Henry Roberts in his apartments
above the market Instead OF awakening the people
in the house. he into the street shouting Fire!
and then to the engne-house. where he gave gen.
eral alarm by ringing the bell. His brother Frank
also ran to the engne-house and Joined in the alarm
In the fats above the Roberts apartments were
twenty persons The fire was burning grease be-
low, and it sent up dense volume OF smoke that
rendered life In it impossible. Above the tenement
occupied by Henry Roberts and his family were two
others occupied by Charles Coumartne and his
family and Joseph Dubois. his wife and children.
his stepdaughter and Theodore Dion. crippled
young man. Above the double tenement was an
attic containing several sleeping used by the
older children Of both families, young Dion and
Rosie Roumier.
Coumartine was awakened by the shouts Of Fire. ;"
Getting into his clothing. he told mis- wife to take
their infant child to place Of safety which she
did. He then ran into tne dtuC anu tooh "se'S
girl and boy one In each arm. and ran with them
down the stairs. Getting down one flight, he found
the smoke so dense that he could not take the chill
dren to the street He rushed to the front window
and dropped them on landing ten feet oelow
From there they taken by spectators to a
place OF safety. -
He then ran back into the attic There the smoke
was binding and suffocatng. He says he thought
he would be overcome. He managed TO get his
bow Edward In one arm and Nellie In the other:
The children were dazed and helpless. He groped
his way with his load TO the stairs, where ne parity
lost consciousness. Through the binding smoke
and flames all three rolled down the attic stairs TO
the kitchen There Coumartne fell and his head
struck the stove. He had lost the children. The
blow partly aroused him and he rushed to the
front window and jumped to the landing: It was
only then that he realized that he had LETT the TWO
children behind 1t was impossible for him to o. 60
hack and come out alive. The children were after
ward found suffocated the kitchen hoor
In the other fat Dubois had been aroused more
slowly When he awoke. he says. he tried twice to
get into the attic. but he was driven back by the
flames and smoke. His children were round on tne
floor They had evidently got out or bed ana at-
tempted to reach the window IN an1.nei
partly pulled over her face: Dion slid out OF the
window and down a clothes line. Feopie "e'Peu nam
to reach the ground.