DISASTROUS FIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 206, 2 September 1886, Page 2

DISASTROUS FIRE.

Woman and Child Burnt to Death.

Invjsrcargill, this day. A fatal fire occurred last night about ten o'clock. A house in Ladel-strect, owned and occupied by a widow named Kaill, was burned down. She lived there with four children and a servant named Flora McLeod. The latter makes the following statement: The inmatea of the house retired shortly before 10 o'clock. They all 'occupied the same apartment— a bedroom close to the kitchen. About a quarter of an hour or twenty minutee after they got into bed thu girl was alarmed by a gmell and a crackling sound, and on jumping up found the kitchen and passage in flames. She called Mrs Kaill, and urged her to got out of the house with her boy of three years, but «ho replied to tho effect that she could not do so. The girl then got three of the children (one a baby in arms) out of tho bouse, and finding it impossible to return through the lobby, ran round to the window of the bedroom, broke a pane of glase, and again implored Mrs Kaill to endeavour to get out. Again Mrs Kaill replied that she could not— tho probability being that by that time she was partially suffocated. Here the girl's story ends, and she Iβ emphatic in stating that Mrs Kaill never left the bedroom, although it was reported that she had got outeido but had afterwards returned to rescue her boy. Mr Deverill, who resides opposite to where the house stood, was among the first on the spot. He heard the crying of a child and broke one of tho front window?, but the volume of smoke which burst forth in hie face made further efforts at rescue impossible. When tho members of the Southern Fire Brigade arrived, they speedily got to work, and a strong etroam of water wai soon playing on the burning mass, attention was speedily direoted to the particular part of the building in which Mrs Kaill's bedroom was situated, but for a long time, although the embers were thoroughly drenched, and the remains of the kei and bedding were easily discernible, no trace of the woman's body or that of her child could bo found. Shortly after midnight, however, the trunk of Mre Kaill's body was found among the debris. ,

Although the building was within the town bonndariee, the Central Brigade did not turh out, nor was any alarm given from the tower in Don-street. The explanation offered of these circumstances is that although the reflection was seen from the station no alarm was given therei and the officer in charge issvmed that it was only oße of the tussock tires which have recently been numerous in the locality.

The building was insured for £200 in the Equitable Office. Mrs Kaill, who, with her child, has perished so sadly, was left a widow a few months ago, her hueband dying suddenly. Her body was found in the passage leading out of the building, an indication that she had tried to obey her servant's call, but was etilled by the smoke.