THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Ten badly injured after fire breaks out at Belfast factory

Ten people, including six girls, had been injured the previous day when a fire completely destroyed a large factory building on Amelia Street in Belfast, reported the News Letter on this day in 1935.

The ground floor of the building had been occupied by Messrs Davidson, Hawthorne and Bryans, who were wholesale confectioners, while the three upper floors of the building had been occupied by handkerchief manufacturers Messrs Sefton’s Ltd.

The fire, reported the paper, had broken out shortly before midday and the flames had spread rapidly and lead to about 20 female employees being trapped on the warehouses third floor.

With the assistance of the firemen these women all reached safety through the windows and down fire escapes which had been placed in position by the fire brigade.

Those detained in the Royal Victoria Hospital included Ernest Powell of Lisburn Road, the manager and director of Sefton’s Ltd, he had suffered severe burns to his face and arms.

Much praise was given to Mr Powell who had refused to leave the burning warehouse until he was satisfied that all the employees had been brought to safety.

There were also two firemen detained in the Royal, these included station officer David Mills of Whitla Street Fire Station, who was suffered face and arm burns as well as shock, and fireman Robert McDowell of the same station who had suffered face and arm burns.

The oldest casualty of the blaze who was detained in hospital was Ethel Cook, aged 97, from Park Avenue who had suffered face and neck burns during the blaze.