Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-16
SIX DIE WHEN FIRE
SWEEPS TENEMENT
Five Women Trapped and
Man PIunges to Death From
Safety Rope.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
NEW YORK, December 16.-Siz
persons lost their lives, nine others
were injured and hundreds were
driven from their homes early today
in series of fires in apartment
houses, tenements and one hotel in
Manhattan and Brooklyn. Today's
blazes brought the number during
the cold spell since Sunday to more
than 100, making hundreds homeless
and causing heavy property losses.
Five women and man lost their
| lives in fire which swept through o
ive-story apartment house in East
Ninety eighth street near Fifth ave-
nue.. Five other persons were pain
fully burned IN escaping from the
blazing building, and scores of fam
lilies living in the neighborhood were
driven TO the streets from their
homes.
Children Are Burned.
Four persons. including two chill
dren. were severely burned in q fire
which broke out about the same time
In a four-story dwelling in Sixty
sixth street, Brooklyn. The blaze
spread TO an adjoining dwelling
house, driving I2 families from their
homes in both buildings.
Guests in an Eighth avenue hotel.
patronized largely by members OF the
theatrical profession, were routed
from their beds by a fire which start
ed few hours after the Ninety
eighth street blaze. Many OF the
guests were forced to escape by way
OF the hotel roof. after the flames
had spread from the lower floors.
Five of the victims in the Ninety
eighth street fire were trapped and
burned to death in the building. The
sixth fell to his death from the NTH
floor when he lost his grip on q rope
which firemen lowered from the win
dow of adjoining buildings.
Hospital In Terror.
This fire occurred but two blocks
from Mount Sinai Hospital and the
attendant noise and confusion awak-
ened patients, who found the sky
about the institution a quivering red
Doctors and nurses patrolled the
wards, pulling down blinds and as
surfing their patients that there was
no danger.
The bravery of a 1e-year- youth,
Fred Nugent, saved an entire family.
Awakened by smoke, he ran into the
room of his mother, Mrs. Anna Nu-
gent. and carried her to the street.
Entering the building he dragged his
sisters, Barbara and Antolnette, to
safety and then for the second time
plunged into the flaming house This
time he was driven back by the flames
as he attempted to enter the room
Of his uncle. Edward Russell, who
had been weakened by a long Illness.
Plunses to Death.
Meanwhile firemen. who also sought
to rescue Russell, had dropped a rope
to him at the window of his room,
from q higher floor In an adjoining
building. The aged man clutched the
rope, but his grip gave away and he
fell five stories to his death.
The fire was discovered by a pa
trolman shortly after o'clock, and
the tenants were awakened by the
beating OF police club against their
doors. SwarTning from their apart
ments in night clothes, in their bare
feet. and carrying blankets to shelter
them, they fed to the street.
Suffering from cold and exposure,
men, women and children were taken
In by neighbors, while those who had
relatives missing ran from house to
house In a frantic effort to find them.
Police were forced to make a house
toulouse canvass in the district to
check up the missing.