AT WAIHI FIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 117, 17 May 1920, Page 4

AT WAIHI FIRE.

CHILD BURNED TO DEATH. TWO OTHERS SAVBD. BOY'S TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. (By Telegraph.-Special to -Star.") | VVAHT'I, this day. i ■V shocking fatality occurred in Upper I Barry Koad, Waihi Kaat, on Saturday night, when the residence of Mr. Taoma* Barker was destroyed by lire during the temporary absence of Mr. Barker and his wife Their youngest daughter Jns, a child three years of age, was entrapped in a ibedrooni and burned to death. Three other children, James (aged 12), Jack (S), and Clarence <(>), escaped through a window, clothed in tlieir nightattire. The outbreak occurred a little before' If) o'clock, -Mr. Barker being in town at the time, and Mrs. Barker ivas at a friend's house «imc distance away, having responded to a sick call. Snc left the elder boy, James, in charge. The latter was awakened by smoke and heat, and found the 'house well ablaze. In a half-suffocated >tate he made an heroic attempt to save the other cUildren, and aucccerted in getting his two little brothers (who occupied the same room with himself in the hark portion of the house) through a window to safety. He then made frantic efforts to reach hie sister, who w.is in a front room by herself, but was beaten back by intense heat and flames. Hearing her cries, he endeavoured to j make an 'entrance by the front, but \ found the whole place ablaze. Nearly J overcome with heat and smoke, tbe boy; staggered across the road, and gave the. alarm to neighbour.,, hut the latter, on arrival at the scene of the fire, found it impossible to approach the building. The alarm was then given at the nearest fire-box, and the brigade were promptly on the scene, but, owing to a gale blowing, and to the great advance made by the fire, they could do nothing in 'the way cf saving the building, which was completely destroyed. The firemen discovered the remains of the little girl in the smoking ruins an hour later, the position indicating that the unfortunate child had got out ot bed and attempted, to escape, but had collapsed in a corner of the room. Much sympathy is expressed with the bereaved family, who lost a little boy 12 months afro. The outbreak seems to have originated in a frontroom, where a fire had been used in a register grate during the evening. When approaching the scene of the outbreak the fire engine, driven by Stipt. Steele, collided with a cow. which suddenly emerged from scrub close to the road, and th* impaot threw the engine several yards clear of the road, breaking the radius rod and other portions of the steering gear, and causing the'hack tyre to burst. The superintendent immediately applied the emergency brake, and undoubtedly averted a serious catastrophe, there being a strong muster of members on the car. With very little delay the men and gear were transferred from the wrecked fire engine to Trr. Short's car, which was luckily passing at the time on its way to the outbreak. The brigade were engaged at the. fire until three in the morning. i