New Haven, CT Steamer Elm City Fire, Jul 1891

FIRE ON A BIG STEAMER.

Thirteen Hundred Persons Narrowly Escape Death on a Sound Steamer.

New Haven, Conn., July 31.---When the steamer Elm City, with 1,300 excursionists on board, was midway between New York and Bridgeport last evening, fire broke out on board. The flames originated in the engine-room and spread with alarming rapidity, and the dense clouds of smoke that rolled up struck terror to the hearts of the passengers. The excitement was intense, amounting almost to a panic. Women screamed and the little ones clung to their mothers in terror. A man and woman in state-room 49, which is immediately over the boiler, were almost suffocated by the smoke which filled the room, and were carried below in an unconscious condition. The prompt work of the officers of the boat was the only thing that averted an awful catastrophe. An aperture was cut in the floor of the state-room over the boiler, a hose inserted and a stream of water was soon playing on the flames. After working about an hour the men managed to extinguish the fire. The blaze originated from an overheated boiler. A few of the women fainted during the fire, but no one was seriously injured.

Centralia Enterprise and Tribune, Centralia, WI 8 Aug 1891
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!