Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-01-29
Mother Not at Home When
Fire Starts From Unknown
Cause; Is Grief Stricken.
SMOKE HINDERs WORK
Entrance to Burning Room b
Made Through Window -.
Firemen Almost 0vercome

Three children were burned, two
perhaps fatally, in a fire which part
ly destroyed the home of Frank
Miller. at 542 Hartford street, eat1y
this morning. Francis Miller. years
old. and frankie Miller, 2 years old.
were burned about the body. head
and hands and are in serious con-
dition in the City Hospital. William,
/ year old, received burns alb ,ut the
legs and hands and Is also In the
hospital.
Reports from the City Hospital.
where they were taken in a tan
owned by George Sheath. were 10
the effect that two of the children
were so badly burned that their re-
cove-y was doubtful. John Barlow
NJ. j. Lakonski and Joseph MaIoney
accompanied the children 10 the
hospital and made them as comfort
able as possible on the way to that
Institution. s*s
James Kelly, Joseph Maloney and
Dennis Ryan saved the children
from burning to death In the blazing
room. Through the quick work Of
Kelly an entrance was made through
a window in the side Of the hcuss
on the second floor. He made NJ
way through the flames and srnok
to the burning bed on which TIN
children lay helpless and partly M
conscious. Maloney and Ryan to1-
lowed hini,- and helping hzncz JllUu>
| took the children fr6m- the f1remeu
who were almost overcome a. thny
made their way down the ladder
A taxi, which was available short
ly after the children were removed
from the building. was used in re-
moving them to the hospital.
Oficer Marinus Ludwigson made
several attempts to get to the chill
dren before the firemen arrived but
the thick smoke in the hall prevent
ed him from finding the door 10 the
room where the children were bura-
ing. Ali the windows and doors were
closed and little of the thick smoke
was escaping. so that the officers
could not remain long in the build
ing without getting fresh air. Ben
jamin Nussbaum also made attempts
10 save the children. By the time
the officer and Nussbaum had made
several attempts to break into the
blazing room the firsmen had ar
rived, in answer to call from Box
43. at Buckingham avenue and
Hartford street.
1t is rot known how the fire start
ed, but it is the belief OF Fire Chief
Nixon that an overheated stove was
the cause. Most of tns room was
burned and charred.
The heat was so intense that lace
curtains in the kitchen were scorch-
ed and paint on the woodwork was
blistered. Other rooms of the house
were damaged by water. fire and
smoke.
From what could be learned from
the mother of the children, who was
hysterical and could hardly talk be-
cause of fear and excitement, the
children were left sleeping in one
bed while she went out to get some
provisions for the noon meal. She
said that she had not been out long
and did not know that her home
was on fire until she returned. She
said that there were no signs of fire
when she left the house twenty
minutes before the alarm of FIRE.
The house is owned by Ralph
Bulls, who keeps a grocery store
on the same street. The damage h
estimated at $500 and the loss u
covered by insurance.
Fire Chief George Nixon said that
this fire strengthened his request for
an ambulance TO answer every alarm
OF fire. He said that after the chill
dren had been brought from the
burning room they had to be held
in persons arms until taxi arrived
He added that his request for an
ambulance TO attend all fires was
not merely a precaution but a neces-
sity.
Mayor William c. Wilson after
learning that a taxi had to be used
in taking the children TO the hospi-
tai, and that considerable time was
lost in waiting for the arrival OF
this car. gave instructions to Acting
Chief Niels J. Tonnesen Of the police
department TO have the police tour
ing car answer all fire alarms in the
future until a police ambulance Is
purchased by the city.