A FATAL FIRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12093, 12 July 1901, Page 6

A FATAL FIRE.

THRKK CHILDREN BUItXED TO DEATH. (Per T'xited Press Association'.) CHIUSTCHCRCH, July 11. This afternoon a fonr-roomed cottage in Little Brenehley road, Lyttclton, was burned and three children lost their live;. The cottage belonged to the Hargreaves estate, and was occupied by a lumper named Frederick Day. He was at work, and his wife had gone out, leaving the children—a boy named Frederick Thomas, four years of age, a girl Evelyn May, five years and eight months, and a girl Dorothy Maud, two years and seven months—in the house, with a, firo burning in the front room. About 1.15 p.m. Alfred Day, a brother of the occupant, while returning from rabbit shooting on the hills, saw smoke rising from the cottage. Running to a place near by, he got'assistance, and went to the cottage, and broke the front window, but the flames within prevented a rescue. The brigade could do nothing, and thj cottage was binned to the ground. The fire is eiipposi'd to have been burning about 20 minutes when discovered. The, bodies of the children were found in the debris. The boy and the younger girl were on the site of the sitting room. The former was on the floor, with a pillow over his head, and the latter on the remain? of a couch, with her head under tho pillow. The elder girl's body was in the kitchen. All the bodies rao lying face downwards, and all wcro -charred beyond recognition. The building was insured in t!ie Royal office for £100. The furniture, which was all destroyed, was uninsured.