South Yorkshire Times, December 13, 1947
Mexborough Rescue
Veteran Dies Of Burns
” Particularly Tragic Case “-Coroner
An 84-years-old retired miner, Abraham Chambers, (left picture, below) living alone in West Road, Mexborough, lost his life this week when the bed on which he was sleeping downstairs caught fire. Neighbours saw smoke issuing from the house on Saturday, and two men, one Chambers’ grandson, entered the building and rescued the old man, but he died early on Monday.
ONE WAS GRANDSON
The rescuers were Mr. John Thomas Walker (35), miner, (right picture, below) and Chambers’ grandson. Mr. Jim Gillott (25), (middle picture, below) miner, who smashed two windows and broke the door down with a hatchet before they could effect an entrance. “The place was an inferno,” Mr. Walker told a reporter.
Mr. Walker paid tribute to the neighbours. They all came out with buckets of water, he said, and managed to extinguish most of the flames before Mexborough and Doncaster N.F.S. units arrived.
Mrs. Travers, West Road, Mex-borough, said the two rescuers were real heroes. She said, “Although they were nearly overcome by the smoke and fumes they went straight in again.”
Gillott related his story at the inquest at Montagu Hospital on Wednesday.
“There is no doubt he got out of bed, lit the fire, got back into bed, probably fell asleep and the fire was set going by a spark on the bed or some part near the bed.”
Chambers’ son, Abraham Chambers, miner. 10, Orchard Street, Mexborough, said, “About 10 o’clock on Saturday morning I was told there had been a fire at the house. There were two holes burnt through the floor where the legs of the bed had been. The bed was only a foot from the fireplace.”
Chambers added that it was not his father’s habit to smoke in bed.
Mrs. Alice Ella Whitehouse, 45, West Road, Mexborough, said that about 9-30 a.m. on Saturday she noticed smoke coming from Chambers’ house. “I knew he lived alone and called a neighbour and asked her to fetch Mr. Chambers’ daughter,” said witness.
Jim Gillott, miner, 2, Alfred’s 1 Place, Mexborough, said, “Smoke was coming out of the small room where my grandfather slept. We smashed a window and could see the room was full of smoke. We were unable to get through the window and broke a kitchen window, but we could not gain entrance, and with Mr. Walker’s assistance the back door was forced.
“The kitchen was full of smoke, and we were unable to get into the small room. We went outside and looked through the small room window. There was a burst of flame and I noticed that the bed was alight and that my grandfather was on the bed.”
He and Walker went into the room and removed him. He was lying with his feet towards the fireplace and his head towards the door. One of the pillows was in flames and the blankets had been burnt off.
A N.F.S. officer stated that it was obvious the fire was started from the fireplace itself. Either a spark had set fire to the bed or a burning ember set fire to the lino near the foot of the bed.
Dr. F. R. N. Lynch, Casualty Officer, Montagu Hospital said Chambers was profoundly shocked. He had very extensive burns, especially on the lower limbs. He also had burns on the chest and both upper limbs. Cause of death was broncho-pneumonia, secondary to the extensive burns.