Nine Children Leave Burning House

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30219, 26 August 1963, Page 17

Nine Children Leave Burning House

(New Zealand PreM Atsoelatlon)

Groping their way along the walls of their smokefilled, blazing home at 5 Argyll street, Gisborne, early this morning, a family of nine children made their way to safety. About 2.15 am., 13-year-o!d William Ryland, sleeping on the sofa in the livingroom, was awakened by the smell of smoke and the crackle of flames. He found a fire had spread from the kitchen and he was cut off from his brothers and aisters by a wall of flame. The youngster darted outside and hammered on the windows of the bedrooms, rousing the rest of the children.

The eldest, Cecilia, aged 15, rushed to the baby, Georgina, aged three months, and Paina, aged one.

She led the children through the smoke to safety, chased by flames. "As soon as we got outside the windows fell in,” she said. "It gave us a fright but I was only worried about getting the babies out. “I’d never seen a fire brigade in action before but I was glad to see it come today."

Mr Ryland was working in Wellington, and Mrs Ryland was absent at the time of the fire.

The other children who escaped are Allies, aged six, Jacob, aged eight, Matthew, aged 11, Maria, aged 13, and Polly, aged 14.

[ The large wooden house . was well alight when the . firemen arrived. Fire was raging through ’ the rear three rooms, the i kitchen, washhouse and Uv- ( ingroom. While firemen attacked the Are from the rear porch and 1 the front main passage others 1 donned breathing apparatus ■ to search.the house till they I learned all were safe. ' The rear three rooms were severely damaged by the fire I and the front rooms severely > damaged by smoke and heat. I “It appears to have started from the hot-water c-up- . board,” said the fire chief , (Mr E. C. Smith).