FATAL FIRE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 17 June 1922, Page 4

FATAL FIRE

AT AN AUCKLAND BOARDINGHOUSE A CONSTABLE’S GALLANT RESCUE WORK (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 16 A fire attended with fatal results occurred in the early hours of this morning at Sonoma Boardinghouse, in Grey Street. The victim was Nathaniel Hayden, an elderly boarder occupying a room oh the top floor. The fire brigade arrived at 1.20 a.m. and the upper floor was then in the grip of the flames. Hearing there was a man in a room on the top floor they put up aiadder and a fireman entered the room. He was overcome by fumes and became unconscious. Constable Welson ran up the ladder, rescued the unconscious fireman, and returned to the room, when he was himself overcome by smoke and had to-be got out in an unconscious .condition by Driver Pardy. Recovering, he made a third entry into the room, this time discovering and removing the badly burned body of the victim of the fire, life then being extinct. There were about ten other boarders, all of whom escaped injury, though some had to make their escape in their night attire. Fireman Thompson, who was overcome by smoke, and Constable Welson both recovered from their temporary unconsciousness without ill-effects. The. house was a two-storied building occupied by Mrs Rae. Die furniture was insured for £2OO. The dead man was a ship’s carpenter,, a native of England, and had no relatives in New Zealand.- ! The damage was confined to the,upper floor.