Gilbertsville, MA Fatal Tenement House Fire, May 1912

THREE GIRLS DIE IN FIRE.

One Reached Street in Safety, but Returned for Pocketbook.

Special to The New York Times.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., May 4.----Three girls lost thier lives to-day in a fire in a four-story wooden tenement house in Gilbertsville, near here, and two others were injured by jumping from the second story. The dead are Victoria Meroz, 16 years old; Rosalie Jaroda, 17 years old, and Sofia Sladieckz, 18 years old.

The fire started on the second floor, where a tenant was preparing breakfast. Efforts of the firemen were impeded by an excited crowd of 1,500 persons.. Sofia Sladieckz, who lived on the third floor, reached the street in safety, but returned for her pocketbook and was trapped by smoke. Rosalie Jaroda and Victoria Meroz, who were roommates, were found suffocated in their beds, which had fallen from the third to the second floor when the flames burned through the floor. The fire will be investigated by the State authorities.

The New York Times, New York, NY 5 May 1912
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!