Shocking Occurrence.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 252, 26 September 1883, Page 2

Shocking Occurrence.

■ , r— — . V FIRE IN MELBOURNE. ' FIVE CHILDREN BURNT TO DEATH. FURTHER PARTICULARS.

The following; are fuller particulars? of the fatal fire at South _"arra thsin have appeared m our cablegrams V— The house was a wooden building,, containtaining eight rooms, together with a kitchen and servants' room,. The first alarm of fire was given about ten'minutes to tbree a.ra., and the South Yarra Fire Brigade was quickly m attendance. The efforts to subdue the fire werr, however, greatly retarded, as only one water.plug could be found, abd"' tha flames had acquired such a hold on the house before the arrival ef the' brigades that little could be done except to prevent the fire spreading to adjoining premises. A few : minutes after a stream of water had been, brought to bear on the flames the roof fell m with a crash, and the., firemen at; great risk had to tear the sheets of ' iron off before tbey could get the water 1 to have any effect on the fire. In less than half an hour, .nothing remained but the brick chimneys and a heap of charred timber, soon as possible search was made amongst the smoking ruins, when the charred remains of three, of Mr Nash's children were, found m their beds 5 , "and a fourth was discovered; under the bed* One of the bodies, supposed to be that of the youngest child was so 'dreadfully scorched up and disfiguied that it w«g

fllmosn iloubtful whether the v mains ■^•or- 1 tho«?e of «• child or of a targe retri«ver dog. The coach h'mse and Rtables, which wore riborita doz j n yards m tho rear of the kitchen, escaped damage. The owner's buggy and harness m th«» former building were gotont without injury ; also his ponies, which were m the stables. Oni Mrs Nash and the *lderiebildren escaping from the burning house, they were accommodated with quarters m a dwelling on the opposite side cf the st rcet. The domestic servant, Mary O'Mara, has myßteri« ou<?ly disappeared. Tt seems she ran out of; -the house m her nightdress. She went next door, and there borrowed a pair of boots, a hat, and a large ulsiter." ighe then left, and has pot since been / bfeard of, .although the police have been searcbi n c for her. Mrß Na sh states that she was awakened by a loud crackling noise, and at once getting out of bed, she found the house ©n fire.. Then We saw the servant rushing. down the passage, and tne girl must have been one of. the first, out of the house,. Mr- _Tasb says she scarcely. rempmber's anything more than this, as the flames spread 7 so rapicliy^ that all efforts to. save _cf r pcior little children were unavailing.