Samuel A. Spencer died saving an indeterminate number of persons from burning, Vancouver, British Columbia, June 20, 1920. Fire started in the basement of a six-story apartment house in which were about 35 persons. Spencer, 60, janitor, who lived on the first floor, ran to the second floor and warned persons living there, enabling them to escape. Persons living on the third and fourth floors, some of whom were asleep, were warned by Spencer and escaped by means of fire escapes. The halls were filled with thick smoke, and flames came up the stairways, making escape down the stairways impossible. Spencer ascended the stairway to the fifth floor and warned persons there, most of whom went down the fire escapes and one of whom saw Spencer start up the stairs leading to the sixth floor. By that time, flames filled the stairways below him, and escape by means of the fire escapes was soon cut off. Two men were killed in jumping from the fifth floor, and Spencer and two other persons were burned to death, Spencer’s body being found on the fifth floor. 22637-1838
22637 – 1838
22637-1838