IN A BURNING ARE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14143, 19 August 1909, Page 5

IN A BURNING ARE.

GUM DIGGER'S experience.

SEVERELY INJURED.

A MAX, who was brought to Auckland by the last train from Helensville yesterday, was admitted to the hospital suffering from very severe burns all over his body. The man's name is Charles Plattner. He is a gumdigger, who lived in a whare at Kaukapakapa, and is aged about 64 years. He sustained severe injuries on Tuesday night,, owing to his whare catching fire while ho was sleeping in it, and was yesterday removed by Constable Montgomery to Helensville, where he was examined by Dr. Meinhold, who expressed the opinion that, the man was in danger of losing his sight, and ordered his removal to the Auckland Hospital. ■

Plattuer is very severely burned about the face and arms, and is more or less burned all over his body. ' He suffered severely from shock, and this morning was in a very- serious condition.

When asked for particulars as to his accident, Plattner, who was not in a condition to give a clear or connected statement, said: "It was about 12.30 when I woke and found a sheet of flame all round me. I struggled through and fell down, and remember no more. I was sleeping in a tent, inside a whare. I think the fire originated in the chimney. There was another whare within 10yds, but it bolonged to a very old. man, older than me. I used to have a mate, who slept with me, but lie left me at the beginning of the year, and I was sleeping alone.''