PERISHED IN FIRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23887, 15 August 1939, Page 10

PERISHED IN FIRE

SEVEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL TRAPPED IN BLAZING COTTAGE HEROIC RESCUE ATTEMPTS (Per United Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, Aug. 14. Trapped in a blazing cottage at Waitaanga, Leslie Mary McGreevey, a seven-year-old girl, was burned to death to-day on the morning of her seventh birthday, despite an heroic attempt to rescue her by two men. Mr R. Ede, who was living in the house, twice braved the flames to search for the child,.but was driven back, and when he failed, a Mr Kelland hacked a hole in the side of a room, but he, too, was unable to find her. When the fire had burned itself out charred human remains were found inside the ruins. Severe burns were suffered by Ede and Miss Frederica Barnes, of Te Kauwhata. Mrs McGreevey, mother of the dead child, escaped v and her baby was passed out through a window safely. Mrs McGreevey and Miss Barnes, who were sleeping in a front bedroom with two children, awoke to find the room full of smoke. Miss Barnes and Ede escaped through the only door at the back of the building. Ede broke open a window so that Mrs McGreevey could pass the baby out. She was overcome by smoke and had to be rescued by Ede, who re-entered in search of the little girl but was driven out. He made a second attempt, but without avail.

Residents were powerless to subdue the flames in the absence of a water supply, but they did what they could to extricate the little girl. Keiland chopped a hole in the side of a room, but was unable to find her. Mrs McGreevey was the last of the household to go to bed, and just before she did so she noticed that floorboards near a fireplace were smouldering. She threw water on to them and then extinguished the fire with more water.