The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-02-10
POLICEMAN MAKES HEROIC
RESCUE OF AGED WOMAN
FROM BURNING COTTAGE
Isaac Grossman Fights Way
Through Flames To Save
Mrs. Sendlir's Life
is INJURED HIMSELF
Sixteen Driven To Street in Bit
ter Cold When Flames
Destroy Two Homes

With the thermometer standing at
10 below zero, and singing wind
blowing from the west, 16 persons
were driven into the street by a fire
which almost destroyed the two
houses at Nos. 279 and 2S1 Mont.
calm.st east, at 1880 Saturday morn
ing. Property valued at $4,000 was
destroyed and Patrolman Isaac
Grossman, OF No. 1874 Macomb-st., was
painfully injured while rescuing aged
Sarah Sendlir, who was found in her
bed almost unconscious after 1t was
believed everyone had been saved.
The fire was burning fiercely when
the officer arrived, and II was an
nounced that everyone was out. Then
a cry went up that Mrs. Sendlir was
still in the house. Grossman fought
his way through the binding smoke
and soon emerged, carrying the aged
woman. AS he reached the steps he
slipped on the ice which had rapidly
formed and fell OF his back, his hand
cuffs cutting a severe cash In his hip.
He also sustained a severe bruise on
the shoulder and a badly sprained
back. He will be off duty for several
days.
The fire started In the home Of M.
Goldberg, who with his wife and two
children live In the rear part of the
house at No. 279 Montcalm, east. The
fire had gained considerable Roadway
when Morris Schwartz happened
along. He gave the alarm at once,
by pounding on the door until the
Goldberg family was awakened. BY
that time II was impossible to reach
the door, and the children and Mrs.
Goldberg were assisted through the
window. The front part of the house
was occupied by Max ZalkowitZ, with
his wife and two young children.
They escaped without trouble, and
were cared for by neighbors.
Famed by a strong breeze the
flames spread rapidly, and before the
fremen arrived had been commune
Gated to the house next door, No. Isl.
Mr.. and Mrs. BENJAMIN Oppenheim,
who lived in the rear Of this house,
were awakened by the smoke, and
escaped in their night clothes. Be
cause OF their advanced age they suf-
fered severely from the cold and ex-
posure. but no serious results are an
ticipated
In the front part of the house lived
Samuel Saltman, with Mrs. Saltman
and two young children. Mrs. Sarah
Sendlir, aged rs, the mother OF Mrs.
Saltman, also lived with them, and
Huyman Samuel makes his home
there, too. The latter carried the
children To safety, while Saltman saw
that his wife reached the street In
the excitement Mrs. Sendlir was for
gotten, ard ii was only after des-
perate struggle on the part OF Off
Ger Grossman that he was able 10
make his way through the sitting
smoke and carry her from the build
ing.
Both houses were badly wrecked by
the flames. aud most of the furniture
was totally destroyed.
Not in several years have the fire.
men experienced such trying weather
conditions as hampered their work at
this fire. The water seemed 10 freeze
almost as soon as II left the hose,
and the floors OF the houses were COW
cred in many places with more than
a footsof ice, while huge icicles hung
from the walls and ceilings AS soon
as the fire was reached the horses
were unhitched from the engines aud
hurried back 10 the barns, as II was
TOO cold to leave them standing in
the street.