FATALITIES

Grey River Argus, 11 August 1937, Page 5

FATALITIES

KUROW HOTEL FIRE. BOARDER LOSES LIFE. I Per Press Association I. OAMARU, August 9. The Railway Hotel, Kurow, owned by the estate of John Greer, and occupied by Mr Bert McKitterick as licensee, was burnt to the ground in the early hours this mroning, resultI ing in the death of David Alexander | Robertson, who was staying at the hotel. The fire started about 3 o’clock :n the morning and flames spread rapidly through the building, which was old, being a well-known landmark at Kurow for many years. Guests were hastily awakened, and most of them had only sufficient time to escape from the blazing building clad in their night attire. In the case of Robertson, however, there was apparently no opportunity of giving him the alarm, and the flames overtook him while he was still in bed. Robertson, who was 24 years ot age was the only son of Mr and Mrs J. M. Robertson, of “Fernbrook,” Oamaru. He had been working at the Berwen Station, Omarama, and had IcU there to begin work for Mrs T. A. Munro, of Kurow Hill, yesteiday morning. The building was insured lor £2001) and the furniture for £150(1.

TREE-FELLING TRAGEDY. PALMERSTON N., August 9. Robert James, an elderly man, was killed by a falling tree at Table Flat near Apiti, this afternoon. James and O Pussell * were felling a totara, which became caught up in another. They chopped through two more trees but one was rotten, and when v snapped suddenly James, who was very deaf, tried to jump clear, but fa He d ’was jammed by the chest against a stump. Pussell sawed the tree through, but was unable to release his companion, who must have been killed instantly. The police a d Dr Barnicoat were taken to - scene of the tragedy by settlers, and the body was brought out.