FATAL FIRE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 2480, 10 May 1909, Page 5

FATAL FIRE.

TWO GIRLS BURNT.

Greymouth, May 7.

A fire at Brunner destroyed Mr Watchman’s store and dwelling. FJis two daughters, aged 15 and 5 years were burnt to death. Details of the lire show that the Watchmans returned home at 12 o’clock from a social. An hour and a half later the place was found to be on lire, but the cause is unknown. The family all slept upstairs, and when the lire was discovered all egress by the stairs was cut off. The only plan of escape was by the front window, and Mr Watchman, having aroused all the members of the family, landed on his feet, and prepared to receive Mrs Watchman in his arms. In dropping he severely hurt his bare feet, but he succeeded in catching Mrs Watchman and the three boys, the youngest of whom broke his arm in the fall. Meanwhile the two girls had 'made their way to their mother’s room, and could be heard crying for help, which could not reach them. The neighbours had been roused by this time, and a ladder was placed to the window, but the flames were emerging from it with such force that no further approach could be made, and the burning building soon became a heap of embers. The bodies of the two girls were found totally incinerated under Mr and Mrs Watchman’s room, inferring that they must have attempted to reach the open window, but were overcome either by the dense heat or suffocated by the smoke, which was tremendously heavy, as the contents of the store consisted of drapery, clothing, groceries, etc.