FIRE TRAGEDY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 82, 19 March 1928, Page 5

FIRE TRAGEDY

FIVE CHILDREN BURNED TO DEATH OIL LAMP BURSTS. HEROIC .RESCUE WORK. (By Cable —Press Assn. — Copyright. 1 ( (Received 19. 12.40 p.m.) London, March 18. Fire at Hightrees Nursery School. Horley, which is attended by children aged from four to eight years, of Army officers abroad and others, incinerated four boys and one girl under six years of age The fire commenced in a dormitory, where eight were sleeping, owing to the bursting of an oil lamp used for heating. The principals, the Misses Young and Tucker, found the dormitory filled with fumes and flames. They heroically carried out three children, but the flames prevented further sescues, deSpite repeated efforts by the staff. Miss Young was badly gassed. Two villagers, attracted by the flames, fruitlessly risked their lives in mounting the blazin- stairs and landing. They only descended when their clothes were burning. Forty children sleeping on the ground floor were saved.

DAIRY FACTORY DESTROYED. New Plymouth, Mar. 19. Information has been received that the Cape Egmont Dairy Factory was destroyed by fire early this morning. The factory was a wooden building, erected about 30 years ago. The origin of the fire is a complete mystery. It apparently started in the butter-room, where a quantity of produce was destroyed, but some cheese in a concrete storeroom was saved, though it is possibly damaged. The boiler-room also was saved. The factory and contents were insured for £ll3OO, in the Phoenix Co. Further particulars are unavailable yet. Shortly before 3 o’clock this morning fire was discovered in a sixroomed residence at North Clyde, Wairoa,, The flames had a good hold when the brigade arrived, and the building was doomed. The residence was owned by E. Munro, and unoccupied. It was insured in the Guardian Office. The amount is unavailable. HOUSE DESTROYED AT WESTSHORE. A third fire during the week-end took place at Westshore about 11 o’clock last night, when a five-roomed house was totally destroyed. The Napier Fire Brigade immediately went out, and were successful in preventina the spread of the flames. There was a strong wind blowing, and but for the timely arrival of the brigade the whole row of about six houses would probably have sone. The dwelling was occupied by Mr J. Hansen and family.