Scrapbook of Morris and Ruby Logan
Morris Arthur Ransome Logan was born in Chesterton, Cambridge and came to Melbourne, Australia between 1911 - 1915. He met and married Ruby Dallas/Irwin. Morris had a long career with the Melbourne Fire Brigade.
A SOUND of someone moving on the ground floor was heard by William Bardas, costume and mantle manufacturer, shortly before he was trapped and severely burned by an outbreak of fire in his business premises, Drummond Street, Carlton, early on August 16.
Mr Bardas was rescued by Station Officer Logan and Fireman F. Condon, of Carlton, after he had broken a window in an attempt to escape and collapsed in a first-floor room. He is now in the Melbourne Hospital suffering from a burned right foot and leg, cut head and severe shock.
Mr Bardas, who is married, and lives in Rathdown Street. North Carlton, declared that he often worked at the premises until late at night. "It must have been soon after midnight that I heard a noise on the ground floor," said Mr Bardas. "I went downstairs and looked about the factory, but I could see nothing. Twice more, in the next half hour I heard sounds, and went downstairs again. Once I called out but no one answered. I opened the door of a room at the back of the factory, but I did not go in because there was no light. It was rather stuffy inside the building and about 12.30 a.m. I decided to go for a walk. I went out into the street and walked around the block. It must have taken me about 25 minutes.
"I saw the glow of the flames as soon as I got inside the door again. I rushed up the stairs and found a big pile of flimsy paper blazing.
"I caught it up m my arms and ran with it to the bathroom, I threw it into a trough and turned the water on, but in rushing along the passage I must have dropped some of the blazing paper. Several piles of paper were lying round the head of the stairs. These were alight and I tried to stamp them out but the leg of my trousers caught fire.
"The fire leapt from the passage to a front room. I thought of nothing but escaping. I was dazed with smoke and heat. I rushed into the room and tried to break the window. But then my strength was gone and I fell to the floor."
Mr Bardas said the steaming plant he was using was heated by gas. It was possible that the inflammable paper had touched the flame and become ignited.
Station-officer Logan said the Brigade had the blaze under control in four minutes. It was confined to the first floor of the two-storey building, he said, and the damage was not very severe.
"Mr Bardas's rescue was simple," he said. "Condon and I reached the window with scaling ladders. He was lying just inside and we straddled across the sill, lifted him and passed him to the men outside."
Melbourne, Saturday
Trapped in his burning factory at; 1.30 a.m. this morning, Mr. W. Bardas, costume and mantle manufacturer, narrowly escaped death. He was at work when a fire broke out, and it was not until the flames burst into the room that he was aware of his danger. He felt himself being overcome by fumes and threw himself against a window, the glass of which broke and cut him severely. He was unable to climb out of the window, however, and collapsed into the blazing room. The firemen were not aware that there was anybody in the building, and when they came upon Mr. Bardas the flames were a few inches from where he was lying. He recovered when carried into the open air. The building was severely damaged before the flames were got under control.
