BURNED TO DEATH

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 167, 17 July 1941, Page 8

BURNED TO DEATH

CHILD IN CARAVAN

TRAGEDY NEAR CAMBRIDGE (0.C.) HAMILTON, this day. The 13-month-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Nicoll was last night burned to death in a caravan, which was destroyed while it was standing outside a house at Fencourt, near Cambridge.

The infant, Patricia, was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Nicoll, who are a young couple. Mr. Nicoll is a carpenter employed by Messrs. Speight, Nicoll and Davys, of Cambridge, and was employed at making alterations to the farm house of Mr. R. R. Foster, of Fencourt. He with his family was living in the caravan on the job.

At 8.30 last night Mr. and Mrs. Nicoll went \'isiting at the Foster residence. The child was then asleep. About half an hour later Mr. Foster noticed that the caravan was on fire. Desperate attempts were made to extricate the small girl from the blazing vehicle, but she could not be reached and was burned to death. Mr. Broomfield, sharemilker to Mr. Foster, badly cut a hand in trying to get in the rear w.indow of the caravan, which was fully equipped. Mr. and Mrs. Nicoll lost all their effects, which were not insured, and also £40 in notes.

The chaired body of the child was recovered by Constables H. C. Maissey and F. Solly, of Cambridge, and an inquest will be held tomorrow.