After a fire rapidly raced through the tenement building in which she lived, Mrs. Marie Byrd fell from the fourth floor window of her apartment whilst firemen were attempting to help her escape. The thirty year old mother of two young children was hanging from the window ledge when firemen arrived and raised a ladder to the window to help her safely escape from the building. Unfortunately, a sudden burst of flames frightened the woman, who lost her grip and fell to her death. Her husband and two children - also hanging from the same ledge - were subsequently saved. The fact that the building had no fire escapes at the front was heavily criticised as a key cause behind the tragedy.