This Day in Norwood History-October 17, 1902-Miss Agnes Tobin Rescues Family From Burning Home

Miss Agnes Tobin of Norwood Jumps From Second Story Window and With Ladder Rescues Inmates of a Burning House

MISS AGNES TOBIN Of Norwood, whose heroism saved two lives at a fire yesterday.

NORWOOD, Oct. 17.—Miss Agnes Tobin, the pretty daughter of Michael Tobin, who lives on Cross street, at Norwood Centre is the heroine of the town.

She it was who risked her life by jumping from the second-story window of the Tobin home, which was on fire, at 1 o’clock this morning, and getting the ladder which was the means of rescue of the other inmates of the burning house.

Now Miss Tobin lies ill in a chamber upstairs, but she pluckily refused to give in and call herself sick from the effects of her daring jump, though she was badly shaken up and somewhat bruised as well.

Miss Tobin modestly refuses to discuss her heroism, but her parents and friends are naturally proud of her act, for they say in all probability the inmates of the house would have been badly burned or suffocated before aid could have reached them had it not been for her promptness and courage.

Michael Tobin is a night watchman at the Norwood car shops, and so was at work when the fire broke out.

How it started no one knows, but at 4 o’clock this morning Mrs. Tobin, who with her daughter Agnes and a young lady friend who is stopping there, were the only ones at home, awoke. She got up and struck a match to see what, time it was.

Smelling smoke, Mrs. Tobin looked down the stairs and saw a bright blaze in the nail.

Calling the two young women, who were sound asleep, they found escape through either the front or rear doors was impossible.

Miss Tobin flung open the window of her bed chamber and jumped to the ground, a distance of some 16 feet. Though alighting heavily on the ground, she quickly picked herself up and running to the back of the house, procured a ladder which she put in position, and her mother and her friend made their escape from the house.

The three women then aroused the neighbors and a volunteer fire brigade put out the fire, so that when the fire department arrived from Norwood the fire was out.

Sat, Oct 18, 1902 – Page 9 · Boston Post (Boston, Massachusetts)