LATER PARTICULARS.

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 85, 25 January 1887, Page 3

LATER PARTICULARS.

Two of those buried were rescued alive, and two were got out dead. It appears that when the first fall took place, one man named Wallace, a seafaring man, was buried up to his waist. A number were engaged in trying to rescue him by prising up the things covering him, when the whole two floors gave way and pinned three more. One was Mr A. Miller, a carter, in the employment of the Company ; the other was Mr E. Esquillant, a young man, who is a son of a bookbinder in Dunedin; and the fourth was unknown. It took a few hours' hard work amid great heat and smoke before the bodies were recovered. Esquillant and Wallace were alive, Miller and the other were dead. Wallace died about 10.30. He was a sailor on board the ship \Vaimate, and was 27 years of age. Esquillant died a few minutes afterwards. Drs Fergusson, Brown, and Mclutyre were on the scene five hours to render service. While in a dangerous position they administered chloroform t« Esquillant and Wallace. The men, and doctors who were working to relieve the-n, did so at the peril of their lives, and the way all worked was admirable. The fire is still burning away, find will do so for days. The furniture warehouse is still standing, but is gutted. January 24.

An inquest was held to-day on the bodies of the four men who lost their lives at the fii c at the Iron and Woodware Company's premises. The evidence was in effect the same as has already been telegraphed, the witnesses speaking m admiration of the conduct of the rescuers. The fourth body has beeu recognised as that of Richard Tas.-oe, a seaman. A verdict was returned that H. (t. Esquilaut, Robert Willis, Andrew Miller, and Richard Pascoe, met their death by accident. A rider was added expressing a. hope that Francis McEwm, fireman MrKenzie, and constables Chisholm and Clark will receive somo fitting rewai-d, their conduct being deserving of great praise.