The sun., 1903-01-28
WOMEN LuNATlCS DIE N FIRE,
FIFTY-F0UR VICTIMS or LONDON
ASYLUM BLAZE.
Burned IN Their Beds IN wooden Dermi'
teries--Severai Hundred Patients Saved
with Dimcuity-F0ught Nurses and
FIremeu Whe Tried 10 Rescue Them.
Special Cable Drspaieh TO TIE SUN.


Special Cable Dtspaieh 10 TIE Sun.
LONDON, Jan. 27-fifty-four women. in
sane patients In the Colney Hatch Lunatic
Asylum. were burned to death this morning
In hrs which destroyed five OF the asylum
buildings. The nurses and doctors escaped
In their nightclothes.
Tho FIRE started at $50 o'clock. and
ragged until e:is o'clock. 1t was famed
BY high wind.
The buildings which were destroyed
accommodated $40 patients. Each OF the
structures measured 50 feet by 20
They were built Of wood and had CORFU
gated zinc roofs. They were connected
with the main building by long corridor
These buildings. which we're situated on
an eminenoe, were heated by hot water
pipes from a stokehouse at the bottom OF
the slope.
When the fire star ed there was q mad
rush through the corridors. Several OF
the frantic inmates were driven to places
Of safety by sheer force Of the attendants
The intensity Of the heat was such that
many OF the bodies were almost entirely
consumed.
The task Of removing the patients was
one OF great difficulty. Although the Of
Hoers did their utmost to secure their safe
retreat. many OF the inmates rushed wildly
around. resisting the attempts that were
being made to save them. Several hanatics.
however. assisted In carrying out their
companions. Some patients in the dormi-
tories became panic stricken and made no
effort TO save themselves.
Patients with suicidal tendencies were
the most difficult to handle. Cajolery was
useless and coercion had to be used. The
patients fought fercely One Of them bit
Q nurses finger OF, while others punched
their rescuers and tore out their hair
Dozens OF the nurses were badly hurt
but they struggled on. not rescnting the
attacks made on them.
Two or three OF them together would
seize resisting patient and carry him out
Other inmates fought among themselves
strength Of madness the interference Of the
nurses.
Hardly les difficult TO deal with were
the epilepticS. These fell in fits and had to
be lifted and carried through the smoke
and flames. the rescuers often being OBJ
structed BY other patients.
One OF tho lunatice who was struggling
mAdly hit Q fireman, who was trying to save
her. on the nose With an iron bar
Some OF the inmates were discovered
hours 9HvSr tne OutDfcAh Oh tus iuo NiooSh-
ing In all sorts of hiding places
Many OF the patients roamed through the
grounds attired only in their niRhtclothes.
There were many heartrending scenes out.
side the asylum gates when relatives ana
friends Of the inmates came to inquire about
the patients.
The buildings which were destroyed
were built seven years ago: 1t was in.
tended then that they should not remain
in use for more than five years. The asy-
lum was opened In 1881 at cost OF f+oo 600.
All that remains OF three acres OF build
ines are the brick foundations.
II ie probable that the majority OF the
womsn who perished were suhocated In
It Ia Il at ed that nurse first noticed the
Hre in the cupboard OF the ward nearest
the boiler house
On each side Of the corridor connecting
the temporary buildings with the main
building were five day and five night dormi-
tories The only exit from these dormi-
tories was q single door from each into the
corridor.
Al $40 o'clock the occupants OF the main
building were aroused by violent ringing
OF tho fire alarm 10 warn the 1000 inmates
Of the various buildings.
The doctor in attendance was instantly
aroused. He saw smoke issuing from the
temporary buildings. In few minutes
the wooden superstructure disappeared
like a blazing newspaper Inc hremen
were quickly on the scene. but only arrived
in time TO pour water on mass OF smok-
ing ruins.
All OF the $40 female inmates Of the annex
were locked in dormitories. When the
ringing Of the fire alarms aroused the
resident Are staff all that could be
done was to open the doors which Afforded
egrees nearest 20 the main building From
these the terrified throng Of lunatics. clad
only in nightdresses. poured out.
The FIRE began In the lowest part of the
building nearest to London II was impoe-
sible to rard beside the main building. al
though IL was 100 yards from the flames.
In two minutes the question OF rescue was
settled. for the further dormitories. with
the inmates. had been reduced TO ashes
Tho corridor hsd acted as fiue and made
the dest truction swift
Such Of the bodies Of the victims as were
recognized were thoae of women who had
d ed Of sufrocation in their beds. where they
wers found lying prone on their faces. Some
of the bodies were found ent tangled in the
ruins OF the fallen iron roofing These VIC
Tins had evidently tried to escape into the
corridor Three Of the destroyed wards
we~a infirmaries.
The Are originated either in the cloth
store or the stokehouse, both OF which
wore si;npted beyond The dorm''n,,,ies
II II difficult To conceive Of building
mora suitable for swift des' ruction than
the annex, which was situated on an open
slope on the outskirts Of the grounds. II
overlooked an open landscape OF many
acres st retching 10 the south, from which
quarter the wind was blowing this morn.
ing. Consequently. when the fire started
in the aout thernmost end OF the building
at the very entrance. the corridor. which
was $50 yards long, acted az an unobst tructed
fue, which sucked the fire through each
ward and along the glidiron-like structure
with the utmost rapidity.
The ringing Of the electric alarm and
the hooting Of the steam whist les, which
announced the discovery Of the flames.
aggravated the pandemonium that i'm
mediately followed the discovery. The
windows were strongly barred with iron,
which prevented the escape OF the frantic
women, whose only alternative was To at
tempt TO rush through tn" flaming corridor.
The fact that the annex contained only
hopeless maniacs and large number of
ed-strickenb patients contributed largely TO
the loss OF life.
OF moro than the $50 saved a majority
owe their lives to the heroic devotion OF
the asylum officials. Experienced firemen
say they cannot imagine how they did II.
Nobody was there TO nee, and the rescuers
say little about their work.
DRAMA on AMERICAN TRUSTS.