Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1908-07-09
LIVES LOST.
Seven Are Killed In a Fire at
Cleveland.
MANY INJURED.

The Fireworks on Display Explode
Causing Panic Among Clerks
Most of Whom We're Girls. nm,
shoppers-Cry of "Fire!" Wa,
What Led to the Calamity.
| AT Cleveland, O., Seven person,
were killed, at least two others wer,
fatally injured and fully thirty more
were severely hurt as the result ot
fire in s. S. Kresge's five and ten
cent store on Ontario street Friday
The dead: Emma Schumacher. 1S
floor walker; Marie Wagner. IL
clerk; Anna Trefall. "a, clerk: Erie.
da Trefall, II, clerk; Elizabeth Reis
~ clerk; Mary Hughes 81, shopper:
James l.. Parker, four years.
The fire followed an explosion of
fireworks ON disrIay in the store
Opinions differ as to the exact cause
Oh the explosion. A woman who was
at the fireworks counter said the
stock was ignited by sparks from a
device which was being demonstrated
TO her by a clerk. Fire Chief Wal
lace and the store manager were of
the opinion that the pieces were
ignited by arc light
Immediately following the explo-
sion an alarm of fire was sounded
ami panic seized the hundreds of
clerks and shoppers. A mad rush
was made for the doors and windows.
Many jumped from the second and
third floor windows.
The store, which is located near
the busiest corner in the downtown
district, was well filed with shoppers.
mostly women and children. Prac-
tically all of the clerks were young
girls. Although the explosion of
the fireworkks caused CONSERVATION
the real panic did not occur until
someone shouted fire"
For an instant hush came over
the crowd. Then the women scream
ed, some tainted and sudden fear
overcame them.
Crazed by the possibility of injury
or death, all on the main floor rush
ed FOR the front and rear doors.
lncky they ""re :smmeI n th :
front doorway. During the lam
those who had attempted to escape
by the rear door were blocked in
their progress. The main door WAS
too small for all who sought safety
there, and the rear windows were
closed with iron bars. Those who
could not escape in this direction
turned to the front door While
rracticaHy every one Oh the main
ioor was able to leave without in
Jury through the front door. it was
manly because of the jam at that
door that the unfortunate ones lost
their lives. Two of the clerks, see
ing no possibility of immediate es-
cape at the front door, ran to the
basement. The basement windows
also were barred with iron and their
return to the main floor was cut of
ny the approach of the flames. The
other women, again forced to the
rear OF the store by the approaching
| names, finally sought safety under
counter, where their bodies were
round two hours after the explosion
| The five women had been suffocated
fhe sixth victim, the four-year-old
son of Mrs. George Parker, was
knocked to the floor during the first
panic. There he lay, unconscious
and trampled upon until suffocatec
| by the smoke.
| Whiie the panic upon the mair
ioor was in progress the flames from
the fireworks counter rapidly ad
vanced to otler parts of the store
The smoke and flames were whirlec
up the stairway to the second ant
third moor. There another frenzieC
crowd of clerks and shoppers, en-
ieaVoring to find a means of escap,
1y way of the stairs, were frustrated
by the suffocating smoke. The eleya
tor man made several trips durin,
me hrst few minutes OF the fire an,
TOOK many to the main floor.
Hundreds of persons were near O
infront of the store at the time O
,he explosion. Terrified shopper
rushed out of the front door to tn
sidewalk. Women and girls appear
id In the upper windows, shoutin
md pleading for help. Men upo
he sidewalk cautioned them to wal
until the firemen arrived with thei
ladders. Hysterical with the frigh
that was upon them some did no
wait, but hurled themselves to tn
sidewalk. In this manner the
we're severely injured. When on
Or two had thus faced death it stan
peded the others and they, too, TO
lowed.