BABY BURNED TO DEATH

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28920, 13 June 1959, Page 14

BABY BURNED TO DEATH

Rescue Attempt Fails

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 12.

A young mother had to be pulled back to safety when she tried to force her way into a fiercely blazing bach to rescue her 14-month-old son this morning. The child was burned to death. He was:

Blair Strickland, youngest son of Mr and Mrs Vernon Strickland

The young couple have two other boys who were in the bach at the time of the fire, but escaped unhurt

The fire occurred after Mrs Strickland had left the bach to ring a company tq order furniture and floor coverings for a newly-completed house they were about to shift into at the rear of the bach, which is in Chapman street Johnsonville.

Plumbers working on the new house gave the alarm about 11.15 am They rushed to the old. tinder-dry bach after hearing thp child’s cries, but it was well ablaze.

They tried desperately to get in. but the flames fqrced them back They broke the only window in the kitchen at the rear of the bach, but were unable to go any further. When Mrs Strickland arrived back at the bach she tried to force entry through the bedroom window She was pulled back, however, and was kept a reasonable distance away from the flames

Two engines answered the alarm and three firemen with breathing equipment entered the bedroom to try to rescue the child. They found the body badly charred, by the coal range in the kitchen and it is presumed the young boy left his cot and wandered into the kitchen after the fire broke out.