12:57 minutes (3.71 MB)
They never knew whether the blaze was an accident or arson, but back in 1708 the home of Samuel and Susanna Wesley started on fire while the family of eight children and one on the way were asleep. About 11 pm the parents awoke to flames and smoke and rushed to get their brood outdoors, but one was left behind. The sleepy in home nurse snatched baby Charles from his crib and called to little Jackie, just five years old, to follow. But Jack slept through her calls only to awaken to the confusion after all were down the staircase and out of sight. Disoriented and frightened, Jack made his way to the window of an upstairs room. There Samuel saw his son from the garden, plunged back into the house, but the stairs were an impassable inferno.