Family Trip Ends In Tragedy

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32386, 27 August 1970, Page 1

Family Trip Ends In Tragedy

A family holiday trip from Greymouth to Ashburton has ended with the death of four of the five who set out.

Three of the family—the grandmother, grandfather and one grandchild —were found dead yesterday morning in a gas-filled motel where a tap had been left on accidentally.

Two other grand- 1 children found uncon-; scions were rushed to i Ashburton Hospital. One ’ child’s condition began ’ to deteriorate and she was transferred to Christchurch Hospital but was found to be dead on arrival. The dead are Robert Edward Lamb, aged 54, a railway worker, of 22 Shakespeare Street, Greymouth; his wife Mrs Anzac Helen Lamb, aged 54; and their grandchildren Susan Lee Stenhouse, aged 11, of 6 ’ anfurly Street, Runanga, and ] Robyn Adele Stenhouse, aged j 7Lynn Marie Stenhouse, aged j 9, another sister, is in Ashburton Hospital where her 1 condition last evening was fair. 1

The girls are .the children of Mr and Mrs John Stenhouse. The party arrived in Ashburton about 10 a.m. on Tuesday on the express from Christchurch to visit relatives in Ashburton.

They booked into a motel at the Coronation Park Holiday Camp, run by Mr and Mrs I. Sargent, at 188 East Street, and were last seen alive on Tuesday evening. A female employee at the motor camp, whose duties include cleaning motels and cabins after guests have left, was walking past the Lambs’ motel about 10.30 a.m. when she smelled gas and went in to investigate. The motel was full of gas.

Mr Lamb was lying in the lounge, Mrs Lamb and Susan were in a bed in one bedroom and Robyn and Lynn were in beds in the other bedroom. Robyn and Lynn were un-

conscious and were taken to Ashburton Hospital. However, when Robyn’s condition worsened it was decided to transfer her to Christchurch Hospital. The children’s parents arrived in Ashburton last evening. The police have made extensive inquiries but say there are no suspicious circumstances which will require other than routine inquiries.