TWO CHILDREN DEAD

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 120, 16 February 1944, Page 6

TWO CHILDREN DEAD

Home Destroyed By Fire MOTHER SERIOUSLY HURT Dominion Special Service. . AUCKLAND 'February 10. Two children were burned to deatli and their mother suffered severe burns in a fire which destroyed their home, at Piripiri, four miles from Te Anga, last night. The victims are : — DEAD. Julia Ann Monteith, aged six. William Hubert Monteith, aged four. INJURED. Mrs. Myra Louisa Monteith, .aged 29. wife of Mr. Archibald F. Monteith. The fire occurred in a two-roomed house. Formerly Mr. Monteith occupied a one-roomed dwelling and Mrs. Monteith lived with the children at Otorohanga To provide accommodation tor his family, Mr. Monteith added a bedroom and porch to his house, and Mrs Monteith moved in with the four children yesterday. The two older children slept in the kitchen last night and the younger children, aged two months and two years respectively, occupied the bedroom witt their parents. . • Mr. and Mrs. Monteith retired at about 11 o’clock, and half an hour later were awakened to find the house on fire. The two younger children were rescued without difficulty. When Mrs. Monteith opened the kitchen door to get the other children she was enveloped in flames ana her clothing and hair caught fire. Frantic efforts were made to rescue the children and willing helpers cut a hole in the wall. The rescue efforts were unsuccessful. There was no water supply, and the house and its contents were destroyed, Mrs. Monteith was removed to a private hospital at Otorohanga and later to the Waikato Hospital. Her condition was serious, but has improved. The cause of the fire is. not definitely known. There was no fire in the kitchen stove wheh the family retired. An inquest was opened at Hamilton before the coroner, Mr. R. Miln, J.P., and was adjourned. Mr. Monteith is a partner iu a sawmilling business at Piripiri.