RESCUED FROM FLAMES

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11827, 7 January 1933, Page 7

RESCUED FROM FLAMES

THREE CHILDREN SAVED

FATHER’S PROMPT ACT

After Air. T. Taylor had saved three of his children from his burning home at Kew, Alelboumo, on a recent night, neighbors had to knock him unconscious to prevent his entering the house again to secure personal belongings. Atr. Taylor had a narrow escape, from death. lie rescued his three, young children, wdio were in a front room which was filled with smoke, and made repeated efforts to save articles from the rear rooms of the big wooden house, which was burning fiercely and giving off acrid smoke.

After .Air. Taylor had been struck on the jaw and knocked unconssions, he was rushed to hospital. He was given an injection and oxygen was administered. Doctors who attended him said that if ho had entered the building again for even a few seconds he would have died.

Mr. Taylor, although he had almost lost his voice next day, had recovered sufficiently to tell the story of the fire. He said that he was watering the hack garden, at 9 p.m. when he saw‘heavy smoke coming from a hack window. His first thought was for the. children, who wore asleep in the front hodrnom. Instead of running to the front of the building, which has seven large rooms, Mr. Taylor pulled open the'" hack door. Immediately roaring flames, and heavy smoke belched out from the kitchen, dining room and pantry. He went through to the front of the house where three children were sleeping. He carried each child out of the burning building separately, and placed them on the front lawn in their night clothes. Then Air. Taylor struggled hack to the burning room to try to save something. Apart from the flames and smoke there was the danger from electric wires. A fireman later received a severe shock from these. ’ Air. Tavlor repeatedly entered the building at the risk of his life, but he did not save anything of value. The family has lost nearly , all its personal belongings, including a big pile of clothes that had been washed, which was in one of the burning rooms.