Evening star., 1950-03-30
3 Die, 50 Overcome
In Fire al Hospital
Near PHILADELPHIA
BY fhs Asseeiotsd Press

Fd1LADELPH1A, M ar. 80.
Mine male tient ts-some
strapped to hunks and others
trapped In barred and bolted
rooms-perished last night in a
nre which ragged through one wing
OF suburban private sanatorium.
At least 80 other patients, men
and women, were overcome by
smoke or flames swept from base
ment to upper rooms of a section
of the 47-year-old Belle Vista
Sanitorium.
The sanatorium is given over
to treatment of convalescent,
senile, nervous and mental cases.
Two firemen and nurse also
were overcome by smoke.
Some Are HystericaI.
Rescuers ripped thick wire mesh
from windows in order to lead
scores of patients-some uncom-
pretending and hysterical-toI
safety.
Walter Rohrbach, one of the
firemen, said he rescued IL women
patients. carrying them down lad
ders one at time. Capt. Herbert
W. Voger guided 8 more down
ladders.
1t. John Jellison, of the Spring.
field township police, expressed
belief the fire might have been in
cendiary. "It looks as if it might
have been started by some one,
probably by patient" he said.
A joint investigation was begun
Immediately by State police, local
police and the fire marshals de-
partment.
Third Fire in IA Months.
Last nights fire at Belle Vista
which lies on the northwestern
edge Of Philadelphia, in SPRING
field Township, Montgomery Coun-
ty. was the third at the sanitorium
In IA months.
It broke out shortly after 10
pm. in the basement of the two
story, part wooden and part stone
building.
Patients, choking and gasping
for air as smoke filled the rooms
and corridors, shouted and
screamed for help while they
sought to throw off their shackles.
Some raced to windows only to
find them heavily screened. Others
thumped on massive doors-locked
on the outside.
Fire Marshal Edward II. Chew
said the blaze apparently started
In the basement laundry from an
undetermined cause. 1t spread to
the first floor where the man pa
tients were quartered. He said
only the basement was badly dam
aged.
The dead:
Holden Williams, rs, Wellesley
Hills, Mass.
Thomas Robinson, SO, Philadel-
phia.
Frank Coster Bader, "a, Phila-
delphia.
Perry Foss, 10. Philadelphia.
Angelo Romano, rs, Philadel-
'phia. |
Irving Halpern, AZ, Philadel-
phia.
John Siggins. 70, North Hills, Pa.
William Stepp, Philadelphia.
Nicholas Termini, Philadelphia.
Supt. Roland L. Randall said
the wing with wire-covered win
dows housed about 80 men and
~ women. Many of the men pa
tients were considered violent and
were held in their beds by re-
straining straps, Mr.. Chew said.
Nurse Off Duty Aids Rescue.
Mr.. Chew told of how Mrs.
Theresa Shaw, 38, an off duty
nurse. refused to leave the wom-
ems section until the last of the
patients had been helped through
the windows.
George Lewis, As, an attendant
off duty, said he was awakened at !
10:45 by the night attendant, |
Wilbur McInthurn.
Donning a bath robe, he said
he grabbed the keys to the re-
straining straps worn by the pa
tiAntS in the Hviolepf cectioy, -
Mr.. Lewis said IL patients were in
the section.
Il know most of the patients by
their first names" Mr.. Lewis said. |
This helped to keep them calm |
and avoided a lot of trouble for |
the flremen who carried them
out"
Frank Buccino, 40, a Philadel- !