Norwich bulletin., 1922-02-01
THRILLING RESCUE MADE
AT wILLIMANTIc FIRE

THRILLING RESCUE MADE
AT wILLIMANTIC FIRE
Especial to The Bulletin.)
Wfllimantic, Jan. s1-Fire that broke
out shortly after o'clock this afternoon
in the cellar Of the four-story frame
Hills block on North street for time
threatened the business district Of this
city, and proved to be the most stubborn
fire the local department has had to con-
tend with since the big Jordan building
fire in Nc ember, 1916.
The block contained the office of DR..
Laura H. Hills. owner, and seven tene-
| ments. all occupied. The fire had gain
ed considerable Roadway in the cellar
before smoke began to pour into the
| rooms of the house through the ventila-
| tors Of rooms in the house. filing the
entire structure with dense smoke,
making it impossible for all the occu-
pants to escape from the house.
On the fourth floor, when the fire
/ started were Morton Baker, George
Orrok and Hannah Sullivan, housekeep-
| er for the Bakers. The young men saw
the smoke piling into the rooms and
called to Miss Sullivan to make her es-
cape. All three started down the stairs,
| but Miss Sullivan suddenly returned to
the apartment the two boys making
their way safely to the street. When
Miss Sullivan endeavored to escape she
found the way to safely cut off, Throw
ing open a window in the fourth floor
she shouted for aid. There was consid-
cradle delay in getting the extension
ladder to the window, series of mis-
haps nearly causing Miss Sullivan seri
: Gus injury. When the ladder finally wa.
| IL cho h,,+ All,
!. failed to stop Mike" Phillips who raj
up the ladder and showed it to the win
) dow. The smoke had nearly overcom
:. Miss Sullivan by this time but she wa
able to Chamber over the window sill in
i to the arms of Phillips and Fireman
Lefty" Smith, and was carried to safe
: ty while the crowd cheered the men VIII
y had made the rescue. She was rushe
l. to a nearby house and given medical at
: tention.
+ The firemen soon had several stream
: of water playing on the blaze, f1oodin
:. out the fire in the cellar. The cold al
i chutes in the house, acting as fire cal
riers. had by this time spread the fir
!. to all parts of the house and the fire
= men slowly drove it back till it was cor
: fined to the fourth story and attic
;. Here the roofing of asbestos covere
= with metal did not allow the flames
eat through the roof and they sprea
: throughout the upper story, busting o,
- through the dormer windows on the roc
,. The height of the fire made it impossib
= to reach it with city pressure ar
= | streams from the punaper were used
" flood the house and prevent the fl
8. from coming lower. The danger of figh
Ing the fire increased when the roof b
gan to fall inwards, portions threate
Ing TO slide off onto the firemen belo
at various times.
g By lib O'Clock the roof was near
4 burned off and the fremen could rea4
A. the flames and force them slowly to o.
ag corner of the structure. The rec:
he sounded at Ills, but a lively fire W
'st still raging in the building although
of was under control. When The Bullet
went to press fremen were still ighti
ay the flames which were confined to t
SIS partitions Of the house.
IS The temperature made the fire fight
nd difficult, the water freezing when
nd struck the ground, coating everythi
er with ice. Several firemen who fought
nd flames from the inside penetrated to
nd third story and were overcome by smol
TT They were carried from the building, a
ck given rest, later returning to the fig
he Hundreds Of people stood in the CT
and cheered the frenaen on. Many
its regulars who were forced to abandon
in fight because of the cold.
The Salvation Army lassies lived up
cal their reputation and were soon on
scene serving hot coffee, sandwiches a
sx- doughnuts to the fire fighters. The wo
nd ers of the army stayed at the fire late,
to the night, taking the risks with
Ill tremen, to give them warm drir
tn which were appreciated by the men v
\ Arar IN ~ I,
the pie living in the neighboring houses
cid fered their places to the families dri1
out into the right, wearing only
clothing with which they escaped,
The block, which is one Of the bigg
wooden structures in the city was o,
oN ed by DR.. Laura H. Hills, who had
has apartment on the third floor and oe
scr pied an Office on the first floor. OF
asa occupants of the block who lost all ii
vas property, in damage by fire and wa
were Miss Virginia Baker, occupant
|. the fourth floor. Mr.. and Mrs. Jerem
ows Sullivan, Mr.. and Mrs. William Viii
no more, Robert Gallagher, George TT
and Mr.. and Mrs. Strong.
lst: The building and contents are ba
Uses damaged. DR.. Hills stated that
ate structure could not be replaced today
800, less than $4,000, and the loss on
1i5, building and contents will proba
tsv, reach $4,000.
leep Practically every fireman, regular
etc call man, was on duty and desc
me much credit for holding the fire to
-ure block. The metal roof. although N
and ing the fire hard to fight perhaps Al
ants in keeping the fire from spreading to
.ers Joining blocks and the firemen were
pies to get onto the roofs of houses near
Sl,- block and send tie streams into the
yes per stories.
30, The first, call for the fire was rece
lze, by telephone at Engine Company n
49, and the REQ pumpe- responded. "
as the frefnen arrived It was seen that
S4T. flames had spread almost instantly
all parts of the house and an alarm
sent In from box "a, calling out all
MA paratus in the city. 1t Is believed
-. the fire was caused by an overhe
~. furnace but DR.. Hills was, Of the Opt
- It's that break in the wiring OF the h
= - caused the fi< The exact cause
y probably never be known.