THE FATAL FIRE

Evening Star, Issue 18144, 7 December 1922, Page 6

THE FATAL FIRE

AN INVEECAEGILL TEAGEDY. FIREMAN'S PLUCKY ACTION. The account given by 1 lie Southland 'News' of tho fatal fire on Friday evening discloses that tho firemen made desperate efforts to rescue the young 1 woman, Ida Ethel Junker, who was suffocated:—'Hie sad fatality was brought about through a house situated 1 in Earn street and owned and occupied by the victim's parents, catching: fire. Tho firo was first discovered by some neighbors, and tho alarm was immediately given by Mr T. D. Lennio. Tho brigade lost no time in turning out, and on arriving at tho scone of tho outbreak discovered that the house was burning fiercely at tho back, and douse clouds of smoke were soaring skywards. The leads were being quickly played on to tho flaraea when word went round that there was someone asleep in tho house. Tho peril of the inmate was fully realised 1 by the firemen. The room which the unfortunate girl wa.s occupying was pointed out, and Captain Hamilton made an entry through the window. Clouds of smoke, however, obscured his vision, and finally drove him back from his plucky mission. Motorman CVrns. Delves .lumped unhesitatingly into the breach. A ■Hash of flame swept into tho bedroom, rnr] in tho temporary light made by it, Delves caught sight of 'the girl lying on her back at the foot of the bed, a.nd quickly gathering the form up tojjk it to safety. The policeman on duty and a member of the brigade tried artificial respiration for some considerable time in the hope that tnero might be some ohanco of life remaining. In the meantime an urgent call was sent for a d'octor, and when Dr Mao Gibbon. arrived he found that lifo was extinct. Miss Junker, who was twenty-three yean? of ago and well and popularly known in Invercargill, was the only occupant of tho house during the evening. Her father, Mr F. A. Junker, who is a miner, was in tho Nightcaps district, and Mia Junker had gono to visit some friends. Tho kitchen, where it is surmised the fire originated, was badly damaged, as was also the bedroom adjoining, which was occupied by Miss Junker. It is thought that Miss Junker was awakened by the fire as it oproad l , and as she was partially dressed when rescued, had been overoome while endeavoring to escape from the burning building. Tho body was also badly burned along tho right side.