Evening star., 1942-01-20
IA Killed, Z Injured
In Apartment Fire
AtLynn, Mass.
Structure Had No
Outside Fire Escapes;
Many Are Rescued
BY the Associated Press.

LYNN, Mass, Jan. 20-Flames
swept through a f1ve-story
apartment and rooming house
here today, sending fire from
basement to roof as If it were a
huge brick furnace and leaving
IA dead and 81 in hospitals, while
firemen worked through smok-
ing emberS in search of eight
persons still missing.
The fire started in the basement
and swept upward so quickly that
dozens of tenants. many of them
aged and infirm. were trapped on
the top floors of the structure, Mel
vim Hall, in the center of the city.
Firemen found many clinging to
high ledges as flames enveloped the
building. Others had jumped and
lay moaning and screaming on the
ground.
| Saw Number Fall Back.
II saw a number of persons come
to the windows on the top floor
and then fall back" said Police
Sergt. William Gillespie.
The fire was one Of the most
costly in loss Of life in the history
of Lynn, and one of the worst In
New England since the early 19O0's.
Harry Anderson, janitor Of the
building, discovered the fire at las
am. In q coal bin in the cellar. A
half hour later general alarm was
turned in and apparatus was sum-
moned from all nearby cities.
Shortly thereafter, Forrest Alden,
81, told of his escape from the top
floor.
IT saw one woman jump from q
nearby room" he said. "She seemed
to strike the wall of the building
and then was thrown across the
space between the rooming house
and the next building. She finally
fell in q heap on the edge OF the
fire net.
Il hung out the window, gave
myself a little shove and let go my
grip. I landed on my back in the
net. 1t was terrible experience
Heat Called Intense.
The heat became so intense that
William Day, 28-year-old infantile
PARALYSIS victim, aided by crutches
could hardly stand on the floor even
with his shoes on.
my mother was barefooted," he
said. Il don't see how she could
stand it. But she remained cool
and wrapped wet towels around our
faces. The firemen finally reached
us over a high ladder"
Stories of pathos and heroism
piled up. Miss Caroline Thornell
63, whose sister Elsie, Sc, was burned
to death, told how she jumped from
the top floor at the command OF
firemen.
my sister was going to be next
and I expected she would jump
right after I did," Miss Thornel
said. Il never saw her again"
Three-year- old Lawrence Taylor
jr., was found dead, clasped in his
mothers arms.
One of the many heroes was Ell
don Taylor, "A, a contractor, WHIT
saved five persons during three trip:
into the me-swept building. Or
one trip he reached the fourth floor
stumbled over two bodies but man
aged to lead three survivors to safety
Firemen experienced great diff
Guilty in their search for the missing
and in removing bodies, as the floor!
in the center of the building col
lapsed. When daylight came, how
ever, several Of the dead were taker
out in brown straw baskets.
At the Lynn Hospital, the groan
Of the injured echoed through th'
corridors. Almost noiselessly, tn
Rev. Cornelius T. H. Sherlock, curat
of st. Mary's Church, moved be
tween the wards, administering tn
last rites of his church to those ii
the most serious condition.
Mayor Albert T. Cole of Lynn sail
he would demand a State investiga
ton to determine why fire escape
were not available for the tenants
There were no visible outside mr.
escapes on the building