Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-02-19
Victims Trapped on Upper
F.OOrS OF Tenement
Leap TO Safety.
HERO FIREMEN DARE DEATH
TO RESCUE FIVE OTHERS
Girl, Overcome, Taken to Hospi-
tal--Pedestrian Discovers
Dangerous Fire.

Nine persons leaped to safety early
today from the upper floors of burn
ing tenement at 10 Charlton street into
a life net by members Of Truck
Company No. 8.
Five hers. who We're driven back
from the windows by the binding
smoke which filled the building. were
carried to the street by heroes who
fought their way into the burning
structure at he risk of their lives.
Rosa Epsel, &c wears old, who was
overcome by smoke and carried out Dy
fremen after 1ther members of her
family had escaped by leaping into tho
net. is in st. Barnabas's Hospital re-
covering from the effects of parliai
euffocation All the other near-vlclims
escaped injury.
Those wh,. jumped were Lewis EpseL
Stephen Kovachie, Mrs. Peter Nyck,
DOC DbrcnoWolsLl James Wenrga.
Thomas Wenrka, lewis Roubak and
two others whose names are not known.
Peter Nyck carried out AIS lwo inlanr
sons. Joseph and Peter, and Mrs
Slsphen hovachle and her bauy were
carlieu uuap a adder by tiremen ailer
the stairway hao ueen cut off Ny sInoke-
lt4Nas not unlli tns flames we're sup-
oued and the aunocalng smoKe. winch
handicapped tue nue-tenLers was parts
ly clealeu Liom tue biaeksIed puiAu.lay,
Tour hours after the nre was disvoy-
"a ea, t.,aL l,remer and relatives OF iiiiss-.
ing occupants. OF the house were az.
suIed tnstL none had been lett beilIiiu u
| uIe.
This is the arst time. 1t Is declared
| that nfe-net has ever been successs
fuzzy Used in Newark and credit Ia
beng given to Acting Battalion chief
| George Lynch and the men OF Truck
No. 8. who had schooled themselves in
It's use. so that not q minute waa lost
after the arrival of the truck In getLiu0
1t into play
II was agreed after the danger was
passed that but for the successful uso
| of the life-net most OF the nine per-
sons who saved themselves by jumping
would have perished
1t was about o'clock tilis morning
that belated pedestrian saw flames In
the basement OF the grocery of q.
| Neidish. which occupies the first floor
of the tenement st Charlton and Mont
gomery streets. He gave the alarm at
once, but the smoke already filled the
Railways and stairways OF the building,
making il almost impossible for occu-
pants to get to the street unaided.
Life Net Called Into Use.
Truck Company No reached the
! burning building from it's Belmont ave.
nue. quarters few minutes after 'he
alarm was turned in, Acting Battalion
| Chief Lynch had carefully instructed
! his men in the use of the life net, which
| the truck carried for such an emer-
! gency. Heretofore life nets have been
but Indifferent performers. 1t was for
merlY the custom to carry the net on
the truck with the ladders. Captain
Lynch had devised plan OF carrying II
| on wire bed beneath the truck.
Two minutes after the truck reached
! the scene Of the fire the life net was IN
! position. held by the men OF Truck No.
1 3, under command OF Lynch Battalion
Chief McDermitt directed those who ap-
peared at the windows as to how they
should jump. Not an accident resulted.
Lewis Epsel, 16 years old. made the
| first attempt. He was followed by
Stephen Kovachie, Mrs. Peter Nyck
ar the III succession the six men on
the third floor. Each one landed in the
net In safety.
Meantime Lewis Epsel had discov-
cred that his sister Rosa had been left
be%ind IN the burning building. Before
the tirenen knew what he was about
tho boy had dashed into the smoke-
filled house. He made his way to the
second floor but was unable to reach
his sister TO save his own life hs
was again forced 10 jump into the net.
p CAPITAL j mes j. Dolan. Engi1e
Company 70; Captain II. Sehweick-
rdt. Engine No. 6: Fireman Harry J.
FelnIiy, OF Truck ), and Captain Lewis
II. Smith, vi Engine ., had managed to
make their way 10 the upper Hoor ot
the house. They carried Rosa Epsel
and Mrs. -ovachie and her baby TO the
street in safety.
10 this roll OF honor must be added
tlle names OF the men OF Truck No. o.
who held the life net. They are; Act
ing Battalion Chief George Lynch. Acs-
ing Captain jacob Sotzin, Michael
Gordon. Harry Felnly. Ferdinand
stecher, Frank Moeller, William Lunts.
Michael l<lespy. Harry Peterson. Fred
erick Proschur Lieutenant Ernest
Ludwig, Christopher Looges and
Samuel Growney.
| 1t developed after the danger was
passed that the tiremen had been con-
| tending with freak blaze The bui'c
I ing was biaekened throughout by the
heavy smoke from the cellar but the
loss was not greater than s20o. Toe
I origin Of the fire has not yet been de-
I far,,oined II Is thought possible fhat