The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-06
SIX FIREMEN KILLED.
a BOsTON CHIEF AND FIVE CON-
PINIONS BURIED IN RUINS.

Crtsr Jehu y. Rrnn CaFPtea Dewn IN = BuT1a-
ing Ceiiapse-For TIVE uours Ne Directed
Opsrarieus for ME Resoue fre, the nrins-
ne Dtsa Secs AFTER BsinE Taksn 0ut.
BOSTON, Feb. b.-six members Of the Boston
Fire Department, including District Chief
Eeun. were buried By tho falling walls OF q burn
ing building on Merrimao street this morning
and burned to death. Five others were sert-
ourly injured. The property loss viii be about
Reo. 600. The Gre was In the hvostorT brick
building 116 70 126 Merrimao street. Tho fire
IN supposed 10 have started In the rear Of the
fourth floor. Itlquickly spread TO tho floor above,
the entire upper part Of the building being en-
snyelopod In flames within fifteen minutes after
Il was discovered.
About o O'clock, for some unknown reason,
the engine playing on the northern end OF the
Are ceased work temporarily, and in less than
ave minutes the ere had rogainod all that 1t
had lest. In less than ten minutes moro the
fourth floor. on which six members OF engine
company 30 and fully as many OF engine z
yere working, collapsed. and the mon fell to
tbesstreet door In 0 mass of timbers, iron, bed
frames, and wool bales. - iliG..
Those who lost their lives were District CHIEF
John Francis Eean Of District 8, Capt. James
H.. Victory Of engines 80 and 80, Lieut.. George
J.sGottwold Of engines 80 and 80. Hoseman John
Mulhearn of engines 3S and 80. Patriok II. Dis
kin of engines SO and 80. w. J. Wolch Of en-
gincs 3s and 80.
The injured are Capt. James Clarity Of en-
qine 2, Hosemnn Edward A. Shea Of engine 2.
Thomas Conroy Of engine z. Philip Doherty OF
engine 2, Lieut.. John J. Mccarthy Of Protective
No. /.
As late as 7:30 tho voice Of Egan could DO
hoard directing the work of the rescuing party.
which had to proceed very carefully, as the
loose tlmbers and cotton bales working from
their places were falling. At about 1880 Egan
stopped talking.
At 1918 Chief Egan and Capt. Victory wero
taken out of tho ruins. Both were breathing.
but were unconscious, and deid on. the way to
che hospital. Shortly after Mulhearn and T. H..
Dlskin OF Emil 2 were found dead. A few
minutes later Capt. Clarity and Conroy. Shea,
and Dohorty were taken out alive and sent 20
Massachusetts, General Hospital. I 11:45
WEIGH were taken out. Both must have been
dead for, hours. and were undopbtediy smotn,
e Spon q Them. 4 They sS" %ero four or i've feet below
Chief Egan and his men. and had no breathing
space about them, as did the first men taken
Tho injured mon were taken to the hospital.
where their wounds were dressed. The entire
Bent q Co. as q mattress factory. The fourth
story, whore the fire started. was used Tor the
Control when Chief Eean and three Of his men
went through q window on the fourth floor.
They were WORKING about forty feet from rom the
crash to the cellar. Capt. Clarity and four
front. Of the. building: they were taken out
after, about two hours work; Chief Egan and
the three sod with tn him h,or had dhsn little tKo ai bo spscgE agS%s
voice.could be.heard calling for;help and urging
his men to renewed Efforts. His last words
-"Me are all alive. and II you can only get
this stuff of from us we will be all right"
lo:1o O'clock Egan raised his head and tried to
speak, but could not. One of the men with
Egan was heard to cry again and again:
oh. God. have mercy on my soul!"
His cries became fainter and %fainte-, and after
9 o'clock nothing was heard from the impris,
no cry was heard from them. They were In a
burned or crushed.
Chief Egan had an epnyiable reputation for
wss' born in Boston April q. 1919. and at,
tended. the public schools for twelve years.
Aft le1 9Sla school he To Tss a E roofer by trade s;;
yours later he was made Lieutenant, and tho
next year he became Captain. During the las:
most courageous and daring men in the depart
mont
his way to the roof of an adjoining building.
whore the flames broke through and completely
enveloped him: Every one thought he could
and hung suspended by his feet in the air. The
wire was cut and lowered to within thirty feet
Of the street, when the Captains strength failed
him and he fell into a net,
Twice he risked his life IN. the famous Ma
sonic Temple fire. While walking along the cop
ing on the roof the flames burst out and burned
him severely, but the Captain climbed around the
perilous edge and escaped TO the roof of a build
Ing adjoining. He did not mind his burns. and,
leading a company of fremen, he attempted to
carry q hose back to a window on the roof. The
through tho window to the floor thirty.fye feet
below. He was badly injured and lay helpless
for q minute, amid the smoke and flames. until
his comrades rescued him at the peril Of their
own lives.