FIRE VICTIMS

Evening Star, Issue 23129, 1 December 1938, Page 5

FIRE VICTIMS

CORONER COMMENDS BRIGADE QUICK RESCUE MEASURES [Pei? United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, November 30. Evidence that firemen bad rescued al] persons from a burning building, including three unconscious men on the upper door, within four minutes of receiving the call was given by George Alexander M'Kenzie, deputy superintendent of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, at the inquest into the deaths of two men in a fire at 117 Grey’s avenue, on November 7._ The deceased were John Jennings Hiley, a printer and gardener, aged 72, single, and John Taylor M'Dougall, known as Jack M'Donald, a labourer, aged 41, single. 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 he found his little boy trying to waken him. He carried the children outside and woke other residents. He did not know how the fire had begun, unless the children had been playing with matches which he left on the table. From inquiries made the identity of the man known as M'Donald had been definitely established as John Taylor M'Dougall, said Sergeant Miller. _He had relatives in Timaru and a sister in Auckland. 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.