CLOTHING IN FLAMES

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 September 1934, Page 5

CLOTHING IN FLAMES

MAN'S SERIOUS INJURIES. [PER press association.] AUCKLAND. September 14. Severe burns to the body -were received by an employee of the Maungaturoto Hotel. Edward Mahoney, aged ' 56, single, when his clothes were set alight when he was pouring benzine. I He had been employed at the hotel i only since Monday. . I Mahoney had gone to a building about 50 yards from the hotel to re- ■ plenish the tank of a petrol engine used to generate electric power. As he was pouring the benzine, the fumes were ignited by a candle lantern, which was standing a short distance away. Benzine was splashed over his clothing, which was quickly in (lames. Mahoney rushed into the yard, shouting for assistance. His cries were heard by the occupants of an upstairs room, who stripped the bedclothes from a bed and threw them from the window to the yard below. Attracted by the shouts, others in the hotel hastened to the scene, and they used bedclothes to smother the flames. Mahoney’s clothes were almost completely destroyed by the flames, and the man suffered severe burns practically all over his body. His condition is very serious.