FOUR PEOPLE INCINERATED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 31 January 1939, Page 6

FOUR PEOPLE INCINERATED

TRAGED? IN AUCKLAND DISTRICT

CAR PLUNGES OVER BANK AND BURSTS INTO FLAMES FIERCE HEAT PREVENTS RESCUE | United Press Association! ! AUCKLAND. This Day. j A lire tragedy occurred at 1.5 j o’clock this morning a mile north ot Papakura, nineteen miles from Auckland. A small car apparently ' proceeding to Auckland ran into a j ditch, capsized and caught fire. Other motorists who arrived found (he car blazing too fiercely to render assistance. Four people were incinerated, probably two men and | two women. | The bodies have not been identified, j but the police believe they are:— William Miller, of Weymouth, aged j about 30. Maurice Warderton. age about 40, of I Manure wa. ■ Walter Ernest Briggs, age unknown, jof Brookby. | Miss Bessie Williams, waitress, • Papakura Hotel. These people have not returned home. | The licensee of the Papakura Hotel told a reporter that two of the men named | called at the hotel yesterday and asked i j Miss Williams to go to n dance at j Patumahoe. near Pukekohe. He was : told last evening that Miss Williams , had gone to the dance. She had been employed at the hotel since Christmas, having come from Waipu, North Auckland. . turning from Patumahoe in the direcj tion of Auckland. It was seen to plunge ; oft the road on what is known as the t “Takanini Straight,” by Eric Turner. of Wairenga. who was driving an ap- _ proaching car He and his companions jumped out, c and as they were rushing to the upII turned car it burst into flames. They i | called: ‘ls there anyone inside,” and a v ; man’s voice replied ::Yes, but we can’t get out.”

Turner was accompanied by two men and a woman passenger. They tried to approach the car, but were driven back by intense heat. Realising that they were unable to help. Turner and a companion, Robert Kelly, drove to Papakurn police station. Two constables with fire extinguishers rushed to the scene and half an hour later got the first body out of the burning car. It was an hour later before they got the other three out of the flames, which were not extinguished until the car was destroyed. The charred skeletons of the former occupants were unrecognisable, and there was no personal property that could be identified. Three tins of very charred tobacco were found, also an enamel badge with an inscription obliterated. The police believe that thi two men were in the front seat, and Miss Williams and a man behind.

The bodies were removed to the mor gue at Papakura.

LATER DETAILS

GREAT BURST OF FLAMES AUCKLAND. This Day. The police were advised at 1.15, and the first body was recovered by two o’clock, and the other three by three o’clock. Further details of the victims were: William Miller (32), labourer; married. with three children. Maurice Waderton (40). single, labourer, employed by the Manukau Golf Club. Walter Ernest Briggs (34). widower, employed on a farm at Brookby. Miss Bessie Williams (21). hotoi waitress. A Hamilton motorist. Mr Bruce Marshall, who was travelling close to the car, in a statement to the police, said he heard the screech of brakes, and looking back saw a car swerve and disappear. Immediately theie was a great burst of flame. He returned but was unable to approach within ten feet of the burning car. He saw at least three | people. They were motionless. He j telephoned for the police and an ambulance.

Other parties of motorists reached the scene shortly afterwards. One, Mr J. Hartley, of Auckland, said the car was blazing in a ditch. “The heat was terrific and I was afraid our own benzine tank, also that the benzie tank of the blazing car, might explode. The chassis was red hot. I could see the remains of a man near the wheel.”