BURNT TO DEATH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 58, 10 March 1933, Page 3

BURNT TO DEATH.

CANTERBURY WOMAN. TRAPPED IN HER WASHHOUSE DAUGHTER TO THE RESCUE. (Uy Telegraph.—Press Association.) CEPJSTCHURCH, this day. A fatal fire occurred at the residence* of Mr. M. J. Gresson, a -well-known solicitor, in Fendalton Road, this morning, when his wife was trapped in a burning waehhouse and received severe burns, from which she died within a few minutes of being rescued by her daughter. Mrs. Gresson, who was 40 years of age, was a sister of Dr. Hamilton Gould, and a member of a well-known Canterbury family. She had been in poor health for a number of years. She apparently went into the washhouse to attend to a fire in the copper. The first person to discover that the washouse was on fire was Miss Bridget Gresson, who dashed in among the thicksmoke and foind her mother with her clothes in flames lying on the floor. She dragged her mother out and extinguished the flames, but Mrs. Gresson died within a few minutes. Mr. Gresson, who was on his tvay to his office, was recalled at 9.15 a.m. to the scene of the lire. The brigade prevented the flames from epreading to the house, which is a large two-storeyed building. Mrs. Gresson was a niece of Mr. George Gould, a well-known citizen of Christchurch. She is survived by her husband, two sons and one daughter.