TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23897, 26 August 1939, Page 19

TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE

TRAPPED BY BURNING PETROL MAN SEVERELY BURNED RESCUED BY BROTHER (Per Unwed Press Association; AUCKLAND, Aug. 25. Trapped by burning petrol in a small enclosed milking-machine engine room on his father’s farm, Frederick Barker Dawson, single, aged 26, a son of Mr and Mrs S. Dawson, of Riyerview, Mahrangi, about seven miles from Warkworth, had an alarming experience before he was rescued by his brother, Leonard Dawson. He suffered severe burns to his arms and legs, and was brought to Auckland Hospital, his condition being fairly serious. Directly outside the engine room stood a copper under which a fire had been lit to boil water. The fire ignited some petrol and the flames swiftly ran back to a drum in the engine room, which soon became enveloped in flames. The only exit was barred and Dawson was helpless to escape. With great presence of mind he wrapped himself in old coats which were hanging in the shed, thus saving himself from more extensive injuries. The fire and Dawson’s predicament were first seen by his mother, who drew the attention of her -other son, Leonard, 1 who ran to the adjoining separator room. Breaking the window to enter it, he obtained an axe, and with this he tore a sheet of corrugated iron off the outside wall of the engine room and rescued his brother, . who was on the verge of collapse.