The Detroit times., 1911-08-01
RUINS Of HAMILTON
ASYLUM GIVE UP
EIGHT BODIES
Others May Have Perished in Flames
That Destroy Institution on
Mountain, in Difficult Posi-
!! tion for Firemen.
Rescuers Find It Almost Impossible
To Wrench Wire Netting From
the Windows.


bodies have been taken from the
ruins OF the Hamilton insane asylum
which was destroyed by fire early to-
day, II is feared that there are many
additional bodies in the r.:ns which
are now being searched.
There were 900 patients In the in
stitutlon when the fire broke out and
So, considered the most dangerous,
were connred on the fifth floor. The
asylum was located on the mountain
outside OF the city and was In a diff
icuIt position for firemen,
The fire was marked by a display
OF heroism on the part of the doc
tors, nurses and attendants seldom
equalled In the history of Canada.
Many Of the patients were absolute
ly helpless from disease that coniin-
ed them to their beds. Others, their
reason gone 80 that the instinct OF
self-preservaticn was entirely absent,
: saw In the leaping flames and crack
ling sparks merely a splendid spec
tacle presented for their entertain
ment. The result was that In numer.
Gus Instances the endangered inmates
OF the wards had TO be fairly lifted
on the shoulders OF the hospital
force and carried into the roadway,
Most OF the fatalities occurred on
! the top floors where the hopeless
ly insane were confined. The smoke
pouring into the big room filled IL
80 that II was impossible to see any
thing and the doctors and atten.
dants in charge had TO grope their
way about the room. BY the time
the attendants got there the escape
by the stairs had been cut OF and
there were only the windows left
through which to get the helpless 10
safety.
The trst fremen TO reach the scene
quickly spread out life-nets and o
dozen patients were dragged to the
windows and thrown out falling into
the nets unharnfed. Many OF the In
sane cried with terror their shrieks
terrifying the people outside and II
was only after some OF them had
been rendered unconscious by the
dense smoke that they could be res.
cued.
The FIRE was caused by defective
wiring and burned with great intens-
ity for more than three hours. A
large part CT the city fire department
: was hurried TO the scene as fast as
possible, but before II arrived on the
mountain top the entire wtpg Of the
structure was blazing. a..
The main dining room. which was
farthest removed from the scene
t;of hre was used as place to con
fine the patients as fast as they We're
taken out.
There would probably nave been
no fatalities had 1t not been that the
windows on the upper floors were
covered with fine wire mesh to
prevent the dangerous patients from
escaping The rescuers found II al
most impossible to wrench this COW
ering OF and much valuable time was
lost while the attendants secured big
shears to cut through the guards.
The shrieks OF the frantic patients
could be plainly heard IN the south
end OF the city and an enorm us
crowd soon gathered and trie< to
help.
As soon as the ruins had cooled
sufficiently the work OF searching
for bodies was begun. it will be sew
eral hours before the records can
be checked and the exact number Of
dead learned, but II was believed this
morning that 1t will not be more than
twelve or fifteen.