Many Others Injured in Early Morning Blaze Fourteen Chinese, including several children, were killed and seven others burned or otherwise injured early on Monday (Oct. 18) morning when fire swept through three shops in West Hongkew. About a dozen persons escaped with their lives by Teaping or running from the flames. All the fourteen dead were trapped {in one upstairs room.
Two more died later as a result of the fire bringing the total of deaths to sixteen, An inquest over the two bodies was conducted at the public Mortuary fon Wednesday by the First Speci District Court "Procurator and verdict of death due to fre "burns was returned.
'The Are, which was one of the most disastrous' in Shanghai in recent years, originated in a cotton-flaying shop on the ground floor of 384 Elgin Road. probably from spontaneous combustion, and spread with racing Speed to the dwelling quarters above. end to two adjoining shops, 382 and 385 Elgin Road.
Because the flames started in the rear of the cation shop, near the vicinity of the stairway, the only means of egress for the occupants of the frst floor and suspended lofts was cut off and men, women and children were left to die a horrible death of asphyxiation and flame. thorough examination of the house brought out that apparently considerable unauthorized alterations had been made, adding to the danger of the premises as a fire-trap. Suspended lofts had been installed, thus converting the place from a simple shop with living quarters on the first Soar 10 a tenement of some three storeys, Jai of wood, and divided into cubicle: Tike "rooms" by wooden. partitions.
It was recalled, further, that a fre had occurred on the premises on last February 27, which resulted in the death of a woman from burns.
's*ecourt proceedings on page "NE. Herald" Photo,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.