The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-29
20 DEAD IN TENEMENT FIRE
WOMEN AND CHILDREN PERISH;
MEN SAVE THEMSELVES.

huu Citib0TCbt WIN hultu aHt NVVbb
Ave men. women and children were
injured shortly before midnight last
night in a fire in a six story tenement. &C.
cupied chiefly by Italians. at 222 Chrystie
street.
II ia an old fashioned tenement. with the
grocery store Of Pietro Accoli on the ground
floor The fire started in the grocery and
spread rapidly up the stairway and an air
shaft. trapping the sleeping tenants There
were fou families to q floor
Tho cool night had been responsible
for the tenants going to bed early. The
fire was discovered by Policeman Hackett,
who aroused the sleeping tenants by firing
his revolver in the air in front OF the
tenement.
Many OF the tenants were overcome in
rushing downstairs and through the smoke
filed Railways As the firemen rushed up
through these halls they stumbled over
unconscious forms Tying wet handker-
chiefs about their faces. the firemen worked
CALAMITY in dragging these folks ont 10 the
street
Five ambulances took the injured to
Gouverneur and Bellevue hospitals. The
fremen persuaded those who had gathered
ON the balconies OF the front fire escapes
not to jump. but many leaped from the rear
OF the building before the firemen got back
there
Capt. Albert johnson OF Fire Patrol !
performed a feat Of rescue that was a hair
raiser. His company was n OF the FIRST
to reach the scene. Together with Fire
Patrolman Butler and Policeman Thomas
Connors Of the Fifth street station the
captain got to the roof Of IA. adjoining
the burning building.
Then they went down to the top Hoor and
Capt. johnson climbed out OF a front win
dow. With the fire patrolmsn and the
policeman holding his right arm. Capt
johnson ~spraddled over to the window
ledge Of the burning building and managed
TO get near enough to pick folks on the
fire escape balcony.
Two men. three children and two women
were huddled on hat balcony Flames
were showing in the room behind them
and smoke was rolling out in great volume.
Capt. johnson got h children first. He
passed them one at a time to his two assist
ants. The women were harder to handle
and the captain had to keep his balance and
use all the possible strength in hat left
arm Of his when 1t came to dragging over
Il a. IL III A. - III -.
and amid the cheers Of the crowd that had
gathered in the street below.
Seeing the work Of Capt. johnson. three
Of his men initiated him n in this way
and a small child from the third floor.
These men are Fire Patrolmen Shoner.
S~haughnessy and Markell
The firemen made short work OF the
flames and rushing through the building
opened windows and cleared ii OF smoke as
quickly as possible. Then the search for
dead and injured was pushed vigorously.
Six bodies were found. The body Of a
small boy was found in a front room on the
second floor. A little girls body was found
in the rear OF the first noor.
In a room on the fourth floor rear there
were found four more bodies. The bodies
we're those OF three little children and a
woman. The men thought first OF them
selves. The firemen and policemen who
arrived at the scene first say that the shrek
| ing Italian men pushed back the women
| and children as they fought for the fire
! escapes and the stairs
| At l:l5 O'Clock this morningthe firem en-
| found the body OF n woman in q room on
the top floor. She had been suffocated
and burned in her bed In a room in the
centre Of the building,
Three more bodies OF women were found
In the building at las o'clock. They were
In O room on the fifth floor. rear.
A few minutes later three bodies were
found. They were on the third floor.
At 2:lO three bodies were found in the
rear OF the fifth foorIand three were found
in closets on the top floor. Many OF the
tenants had rushed into closets and small
rooms to escape from the smoke and had
persisted.
In a room on the fourth floor adjoining
that in which the four bodies were found
the hremen ran across John Frank, an old
man whose daughter. Mrs. Shields, was the
janitress OF the building.
All the other occupants of the house we're
Italians. Frank was terribly burned and
s~uffocated. Lieut.. Hughes Of Engine 50
found him. Assisted by Firemen Murphy
and Rinehsrdt' the lieutenant placed Frank
in a sheet and carried him to the street.
Most OF the injured were overcome by
smoke. but many were cut by glass in their
frantic efforts to open windows. All OF
the windows in the rear Of the Railways
were smashed.
II Is thought that the fire was caused by an
explosion. William Brandt says he was
passing the store when he heard a loud
report and saw the window crack and
fall In slices. He then ran TO the corner
and notified Policemen Mccarthy and
Hackett.
Richard r. Murphy OF 37H Catharine
street. who Was passing the house when
the fire started, rushed In and aroused some
Of the tenants He was badly cut by
falling glass.
Nine OF the injured were TAX en- to Bellevue.