FATAL FIRE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 132, 1 December 1938, Page 6

FATAL FIRE

AUCKLAND INQUEST

BRIGADE COMMENDED

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, November 30

Evidence that firemen had .rescued all persons from the burning building, including three unconscious men on the upper floor," within four minutes of receiving the call, was given by George Alexander McKenzie, de-puty-superintendent of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, at the inquest into the deaths of two men in the fire at

117 Grey's Avenue on November 7. Those who lost their lives were John Jennings Hiley, printer and gardener, aged 72, single, and John Taylor McDougall, known as Jack McDonald, labourer, aged 41, a single man.

A Maori, Kiti Rangi, said he occupied a room in the house, with his wife and two children. His wife was out on the night of the fire. He put the children to bed, and after" they seemed to be asleep he went to bed. He put the candle out and put it on the floor near the bed.

Witness said he woke to hear the roar of flames in the room and found his little boy trying to waken him. He carried the children outside and woke the other residents. He did not know how' the fire began unless the children h#d been playing with; matches which he left on the table.

In returning verdicts that the deaths were due to shock and suffocation, in accordance with the medical evidence, the Coroner commended the brigade on its prompt work.