Home People Accidents Chain of Sheets Rescues Family After A House Fire

Chain of Sheets Rescues Family After A House Fire

November 1957

South Yorkshire Times November 2, 1957

Chain of Sheets Takes Mexborough Family to Safety After A House Fire

59 years old Mr Joseph Cares, 30, Byron Road, Mexborough, has had bronchitis for 30 years and early on Wednesday probably saved the lives of him, his wife and six of their 12 children, when fire broke out in their living room.

After Mr Caress and discover the house was on fire, one son jumped 15 feet from the bedroom window to summon help, five children climb down the chain of sheets and Mr and Mrs Caress escape down a ladder which had been brought by a neighbour.

Mr Caress said he arrived home from work about 3 AM and everything was all right. He could not sleep because of a cough due to bronchitis and he got out of bed about 5:30 a.m. to get some medicine from downstairs.

“When I got to the top of the stairs I found the place was full of smoke I came downstairs on my hands and knees and just reach the door. I went back and told my wife that the children could not go down the stairs and that I would tie some sheets together”

Jumped From the Window

Showing how they climbed from the bedroom window when fire broke out at their home on Wednesday morning, Mr. and Mrs. T. Caress, of 30. Byron Road, Mexborough, are seen with their daughters, Laura (on the window frame) and Phyllis.

While the children were being awakened and Mr Caress was fastening a couple of sheets together, their 18-years-old non, Roy, a miner at Denaby Colliery, jumped out of the bedroom window Into the hack garden and ran round to neighbours Mr. Derek Jones (28), and his brother Brian (21), at No. 26.

Brian went to summon the fire brigade and Derek took a ladder, which had been left by workmen, round to the Caress’s. In the meantime, however, the five Caress children—Margaret (16), a shop assistant, Phyllis (14), Laura (13), and David (11), all pupils. at Mexhoro’ Adwick Road Modern School, and Jack (9), a pupil at. Doncaster Road School—had climbed down the sheet rope to safety. Then Mr. Caress and his 54-years-old wife, Laura, climbed down the ladder

.Mexborough Fire Brigade quickly arrived and the fire was brought, under control in a matter of min-utee. A settee was damaged. as was the carpet below it. and a radiogram was slightly burnt.

Only -casualty in the fire was a pet greenfinch belonging to 26 years-old Mr. Peter Caress, who was on night shift at Manners Main Colliery. The bird died in the smoke.

Phyllis, Jack, David and Laura Caress