TRAGIC DEATHS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22917, 21 December 1937, Page 22

TRAGIC DEATHS

FATAL FUMIGATION , ■ ? MELBOURNE VICTIMS I OVERCOME BY FUMES LANDLADY'S ESCAPE /■; t [inOMrOOTfc-OWX correspondent] MELBOURNE. Doc. 16 Two deaths followed the fumigation of a boarding-house in South Melbourne a few days ago. The victims •were Mr. Herbert Major, aged 72 years, steward, and Mrs. Dorothy Mary Brown, aged 33 years. The owner of the boarding-house, Mrs. Alice Culleney, was admitted to hospital, but she was able to return to her home on the following day. A firm of city contractors had visited the boarding-house about 9 a.m. to fumigate four upstairs rooms. After the keyholes, fireplaces, doors and windows had been sealed with brown paper the fumigation materials were placed on the floors to be left for six hours. On the outside of each door was placed a notice, "Poisonous Gas. Keep Out."

The first intimation of the tragedy was given about noon, when Mrs. Culleney staggered into the street and gasped to a woman neighbour that Mrs. Brown had been overcome while cleaning the stairs. Mr. Fred Frater, a neighbour, rushed into the house and dragged Mrs. Brown into the open air. ' Mrs. Culleney, who also returned to the house to assist Mrs. Brown, collapsed in the passageway. There she was found in an unconscious condition by police who had been summoned by neighbours. The police were choked by fumes and summoned the fire brigade. With the aid of fire brigade masks detectives searched the house and found the body of Mr. Major, lying undressed in a bed in a room downstairs. He had apparently died in his sleep from the effects of fumes which had seeped through the flooring from above. Mrs. Brown was taken to hospital, but she was found to be dead. Mrs. Culleney, Mrs. Brown and Mr. Major were the only persons on the premises at the time of the tragedy. Because of his occupation as a steward Mr. Major usually worked at night, and did not rise until late in the morning. i Mrs. Culleney said that she heard a scream about mid-day while she was working -in the kitchen. She rushed upstairs, where she found Mrs. Brown, •who helped her daily in the house, lying unconscious on the upper landing. The inquest has not been held yet.