FATAL FIRE AT WELLINGTON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10359, 14 May 1895, Page 7

FATAL FIRE AT WELLINGTON.

Wellington, May 4. ! Three occupants, of a two-roomed tenement in Wellington, named William Bell Patrick, his wife, and a boy two years old, were removed to the hospital on Friday suffering from very severe burns, and at the latest account all three were on the point of death. It appears that about 8.30-p.m. the neighbours heard groans in Patrick's house, ahd bursting open the door found the bed on fire and Patrick, his wife; and child lying on the floor, fearfully burned all ov.erthe body. ■'

- May 5.. *._j_*j.*3 Patrick, as well.as her.fcwc-year-old son, victims of Friday night's fire, have succumbed to,the severe,burns received. ".The child died 'during the night and the mother this morning at 4* o'clock. At the time of the fire when Mrs Patrick was removed; .to the ,air by; Messrs and ' James her burnt clothes fell off, and with ifc the skin on a greafc portion of her body—arms and legs. Her hair also upon being,touched fell from* the scalp. .Patrick's condition is so selripus that his depositions-were taken atthe hospital. He'said .his real name was Bell, but that he adopted that of his steprather. He-had been .out of work eight or nine weeks. A On* Friday he returned home' at 6.30 p.m., and soon after undressed and lay down with his child in: order to get him to sleep, leaving Mrs Patrick up dressed. ; There was a light, d candle on the chair clpse to the" bed when -he'fell asleep. When -lie woke up the bedclothes andwallpaper were on'fire, and his' wife and child were on'firs on the bed. He got up and ran aboufc the room, but remembered no more • till he was being liffced from the floor. He had no money in the hosse. He was not drunk,-neither wais his wife v;: She took a glass of beer or porter daily oh medical advice * ,

-,'• ■■';.■•"-■".'-,-■.-'■'--■.'*■■--; ■'■-;-;- May 6 The inquest on the bodies of Isabella Patrick and William Patrick, mother and son, who were fatally burnt at the fire in Tory place on Friday, night,, took, place to-day. Dr Ewart medical .superintendent of the hospital, said the most serious burns *on the ! woman were at the .top of,, the thighs : and lower part of the back. The legs were burned to a little above the knees. The face was much burnt and there were slight burns pn the chest. * Both arms were extensively burnt.. She never recovered.from the shock, but became conscious on Sunday. She told him she felfc --.inf., and went to lie "down/ but did not remember anymore. The whole damage might have been done in a minute. The immediate cause of death was shock from burns With regard, to* the child, he said the whole of the surface of the body was bnrned, the deepest burns being on the hips. The face was extensively burned. Evidence was given that Patrick was evidently drunk on the night of the fire.. The coroner declared that if the jury were of • opinion the man was in such a condition frqm drink as to be unable to take steps to save his family as he would if he were a sober man they would be justified in returning a verdict tantamount to manslaughter. The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death," and added a rider that if the man and wife had been sober the jury cannot but think the fire would have been, discovered sooner and life saved High praise was paid to Moloney and Hangham' who got the people oufc of the house. Patrick still lies at fche.hospital in a serious condition and little hope:) are entertained of his recovery'

-^Patrick, whoso wife and child have already died fron the effects of the burns received on Friday, is sinking.