Waterbury, CT Hotel Connecticut Fire, Jan 1916

ONE KILLED, 5 HURT IN WATERBURY FIRE

The Connecticut Hotel Destroyed by Blaze--Sixty Guests In Peril

WATERBURY, Conn Jan. 4.--One man was killed, five others were injured and the lives of 40 guests endangered in a fire that destroyed the Hotel Connecticut, in the heart of the business section, early yesterday. The police say that they believe all the guests escaped from the building.

The dead man is Charles M. Decker, an employee of the hotel. He was 60 years old.

Firemen rescued many of the guests after great difficulty. The dead man and the five who were hurt received their injuries by jumping from third and fourth story windows.

The injured are Charles F. Hanks, Gardner, Mass., both legs fractured;
John C. Calloway, Bantan, Can., lung punctured;
C. D. Darling, Sunnybrook, N Y., shock possibly internal injuries;
Frank McCaullaw, Columbus, O., legs sprained and shock
Joseph McAvoy, Waterbury, internal injuries;
Annie Shotus, chambermaid, lacerations.
For a time the flames fanned by a high wind, threatened to spread to other buildings, including the largest dry goods store in the city and the office of the Waterbury Republican.

The entire fire-fighting force succeeded after a hard fight in confirming the fire to the hotel. The loss is estimated at $100,000. The blaze started in the cellar from unknown origin.

Members of a New York burlesque company who had retired made hurried escapes in their night clothes, losing nearly all their personal effects according to Vincent Duay of New York, their manager.

The firemen had barely completed their search of the building when they were forced to flee, as the flames burst full force through the floors and roof.

Pawtucket Times, Pawtucket, RI 4 Jan 1916
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!