The woman frantically ran to the window, threw it open, and yelled for all she was worth; it was a good thing, for otherwise, she might have been burned alive. It was six o'clock in the morning, Sunday, Sept. 27, 1931, and Madera's Alta Hotel was on fire. The woman in distress was Miss Nellie McSweeney, an instructor at Madera High School.
Fire Chief John Brammer, who was directing the firefighting effort, was the first to see the imperiled teacher. He yelled for Joseph Cappelutti, who was on the roof, and the fire captain carefully made his way to McSweeney's window.
Cappelutti pulled the teacher from her smoke-filled room while the crowd stood spellbound. Then the fireman carried McSweeney across the roof of the Skaggs store, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Cappelutti continued to the Brammer Building and entered its second story. He descended the stairs with the terrified teacher, who had lost all of her personal possessions in the fire, but at least she had her life.
Meanwhile, the flames licked the building with increased ferocity. The smoke was now unbearable, and Ellisseo Belluomini was in trouble. He was dazed and disoriented. He couldn't find his way out of the building. Just as he was slumping to the floor, he felt two strong arms grab him and drag him to the street. He had been saved by one of the fireman, who to this day remains anonymous.
Bill Coate William "Bill" Coate is a San Joaquin Valley historian, author, television personality and retired public school teacher with 36 years of classroom experience. He is the award-winning founder of the Madera Method, a research-based educational program that uses primary source materials to help students explore history. He writes about the past of our nation and valley with a weekly column and story. He also writes articles pertaining to local schools.
