The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-07-07
LIVES LOST.
Seven Are Killed Ia . Fire at
Cleveland.
MANY INJURED.

Eyasaad . saVSUN6Ua
The Fireworks on Display Explode,
Causing Panic Among Clerks,
Most Of Whom Were Girls, and
fshoppers--Cry of ''Fire!" Was
What Led to the Calamity.
At Cleveland, o., Seven persons
were killed., at least two others were
fatally injured and fully thirty more
were severely hurt as the result of
fire in 8. S. Kresge's five and ten
cent store on Ontario street Friday.
The dead: Emma Schumacher, Is,
floor walker; Marie Wagner, II,
clerk; Anna Trefall, "a, clerk; Erie
-da Trefall, II, clerk; Elizabeth Refs,
IS, clerk; Mary Hughes 81, shopper;
James L. Parker, four years.
The fire followed an explosion of
fireworks on disrIsy in the store
,Opinious differ as to the exact cause
of 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 a arc light.
Immediately following, the eyplo-
sion an alarm of fire was sounded
and a 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 explosi n ot
the freworkks 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.
Quickly they were :smmad n the
front doorway. During the jam
those who had attempted to.eeseape;
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
racrica!.y ever; one Oh the main
floor was able to leave without in
jury through the front door, it was
mainly 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
by the approach of the flames. The
other women, again forced to the
rear of the store by the approaching
flames, finally sought safety under
a counter. where their bodies were
found two hours after the explosion.
The FIVE women had been suffocated.
The 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, suffocated
by the smoke.
While the panic upon the main
floor was in progress the flames from
the fireworks counter rapidly ad-
vanced to other parts Of the store.
The smoke and flames were whirled
up the stairway to the second and
third floor. There another frenzied
crowd of clerks and shoppers, en-
deavoring to find means Of escape
by way of the stairs, were frustrated
by the suffocating smoke. The eleVa-
tor man made several trips during
the first few minutes of the fire and
took many to the main floor.
Hundreds Of persons were near or
infront of the store at the time OF
the explosion. Terrified shoppers
rushed out of the front door to the
sidewalk. Women and girls appear
ed in the upper windows, shouting
and pleading for help. Men upon
the sidewalk cautioned them to wait
until the firemen arrived with their
ladders. Hysterical with the fright
that was upon them some did not
wait, but hurled themselves to the
sidewalk. In this manner they
were severely injured. When one
or two had thus faced death 1t stam-
NEEDED the others and they, too, fol-
lowed.