The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-05-07
-FOUR DIE IN FIRE
INCENDIARY STARTS
IN BIG TENEMENT
Baby Falls on Grating,
and Is Roasted to
Death.
Score Injured by Jump
ing When Escape
Is Cut Off,

NEW YORK, May -Four persons
were killed and a score badly injured in
a FIRE in a tenement, 1Ol Orchard street,
early this morning. The fire. evidently
Of incendiary origin, started in the
basement near an air shaft, shot to
the top of the building. and coming out
OF an iron grating at the bottom Of the
nre-escape, cut of escape.
The iron ladder was so hot that a
number o. persons fell from it and
were injured. One Of the dead. a child
two and a half years old, was roasted
20 death on the grating at the bottom
of the fire-escape-
The dead are:
SAMUEL SACHS.
Mrs EVA BERG.
HATTIE KOPELMAN, child, dropped
from fire-escaPe and roasted 70 death
IN a grating.
Unidentified man.
The building is five stories high. and
IS a front and rear tenement. Last Sat
urdy an attempt was made to bum the
structure. At that time On-soaked
paper was placed in the air shaft, but
was discovered before damage had been
done
Mrs. Eva Berg, who lived with her
daughter, Mrs. Sadie Kopelman, entered
the building late last night. She de-
cIared that she smelled oil. and feared
another attempt was being made 10 nre
the building. Two Of Mrs KOpelman'
sons went into the hallway and hunted
about, but could find no nre, ana came
hack endeavOring 10 reasSuTe MRS.
BERG She refused 70 go 10 bed, out
lay down On a couch with her clothing
on.
Flames Spread Rapidly.
A short time afterward there was an
alarm Of fire. The flames spread rapidly.
IT went up the airshaft and quickly over
the first floor. At the foot of the fire
escape at the rear was a grating COW
ering the opening over the shaft. The
flames shot over up through the graf
jug, and leaped from the top window.
cutting off escape by way OF the roof
The frightened tenants OF the build
ing climbed onto the fire escape. Those
from the lower floors tried TO climb TO
the roof. while those above tried to
climb across 70 the adjoining building.
The heat was so intense that Mrs.
Berg, who was carrying Hattie. lost
her hold and the child fell two stories.
striking on the grating through which
The baby's foot passed between the
bars Of the grating holding II a pris-
Oner. while the flames roasted II. PO
liceman Murphy saw the baby fall, and
rushed to its rescue. The heat was ter
rible. and he could work only while the
firemen kept a stream Of water play
ing over him. Finally he got the baby
freed but Il was dead.
The mother of the child. after the
baby dropped. tried TO climb TO the
roof. but became hysterical. and jump
ed over the railing TO the ground She
was badly injured
Her mother Mrs. Berg. almost faint
ing also tried TO jump to the roof.
Flames were shooting out Of the upper
windows, and on the fourth floor her
grandsons pushed her through a win
dow In an effort to save her life The
flames suddenly cut of her escape, and
she was burned 70 death Her body
was Identified by ring found on the
finger.
Falls Two Stories.
While Policeman Ledwedge was carry
ing two children down the fre-escape,
Sadie Sunken. jumping from the floor
above him. struck him and knocked him
down the well Of the escape He fell
from the fourth floor 10 the second. but
kept hold Of the children. He was bad
y injured. Policeman FranI1el also was
injured while rescuing persons at the
fire.
Situated only a block away from the
scene OF the fatal Allen street fire Of last
year, in which twenty-siN lives We're
sacrificed 10 q frebug's mania. the
building burned today was DESTROYED
That the same inCendiary who was
baked before accomplished his purpose
IS regarded by the police as certain.