TEN DEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 304, 26 December 1939, Page 7

TEN DEAD.

TRAGIC HOTEL FIRE.

Guests Trapped In Upper

Storey Rooms.

DRAMA IN QUEENSLAND

I'nited Press .Association.—Copyright,

(Received 15.30 p.m.) BRISBANE, this day. Ten people are now believed to have | perished in a hotel fire at Goomeri, 171 miles north-west of Brisbane. The remains of at least eight persons have been recovered, but only three 1 bodies have so far been recognised by relatives and friends. The fire occurred early on Saturday morning in the large two-storey weatherboard Grand Hotel, in which 23 guests were trapped in the upper storey. Most of them tried to escape over the balcony. Two were killed when they leaped to the road. Several were caught by men waiting below, iucluding an 18-months-old baby, whose mother, after crying: "Save mv baby," was herself overcome b_y smoke and disappeared. The licensee, Mr. John Parker, died from burns and other injuries after jumping to the bitumen road. His wife was burned to death, as were a barmaid and a girl telephonist. Eight guests and some members of the staff escaped.