OLD MAN BURNED TO DEATH IN FARM HOUSE FIRE

Grey River Argus, 10 May 1948, Page 4

OLD MAN BURNED TO DEATH IN FARM HOUSE FIRE

Courageous Rescue Effort P.A. AUCKLAND, May 9. A fatal fire occurred at Tirau this morning, the victims being:— Dead Andrew' Stewart, aged S 3 years, a farmer, of Tirau. Injured. Miss Daphne Holderness, t aged 17; severely burnt. Stewart occupied an eigh-roomed house, and witl» him in the house were his wife, Mrs Jessie Elizabeth Stewart, aged 86 years, who is a cripple; William James Bethell, a farmer; his wife and two children; a housekeeper, Mrs Dorothy Boucher Holderness, and her daughter Daphne. Bethell was awakened at 5 a.m. to find the roof of the house on fire. He aroused all the occupants and he and others got them all out of the house. Unknown to Bethell Stewart went back to retrieve some of his possessions. ■ and he was not missed for some ime. In the meantime, the house, which is nearly 70 years old, became enveloped in flames. M'iss Holderness went into the house and made a courageous attempt to save Stewart. She collapsed as she was unable to get him out. The flames swept over her, and she was severely burnt about the face, head and chest. The house and most of its contents were destroyed. The charred remains of Stewart were recovered later.