FATAL FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11843, 21 December 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

FATAL FIRE.

MOTHER AND CHILDREN BURNT TO

DEATH AT KING'S CROSS. A - fire occurred lately at 127,. Judd-street, King's Cross/ London; resulting in the destruction of the building and the loss of three lives. The premises consisted of a shop, used as an oil and colour store, kept by a Mr. Salmon, and three floors let out to separate families. The victims. wero Sirs. Annie Wilder, 25, and her two sons, aged four years and four months respectively.' ' The origin of the outbreak is not known. . About half-past one in the "after-,' noon an alarm was raised, and within a few. minutes the shop and first floor were enveloped in flames. The occupiers of the first and second floors succeeded in making their escape to the street, but Mrs. Wilder, who was at the top of the house with her children, was not so fortunate, her efforts to get down being presumably frustrated by the' flame 3 and smdke. She then appeared at the top window, and called for help, holding one of her children in her arms. ' A ladder was fetched by a conStable, and, assisted by some civilians, he erected it against the wall of the house. It' proved too short, however, and escape being impossible by this means blankets were held out, and Mrs. Wilder was told to jump with her children. Apparently at this moment the heat and smoke overcame her, and she fell back into the room. Meanwhile steamers and men with a horsed escape had arrived, and an attempt was made to get it against the side of the house, but the flames were so fierce that, it was impossible to do so. For some time the water made little headway against the flames, and it was four o'clock before the fire had been effectually got under. When the firemen entered the top floor thev found the dead bodies of Mrs. Wilder and her children.