RESCUE OF CHILDREN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27112, 21 June 1949, Page 4

RESCUE OF CHILDREN

Dramatic Episodes in City Fire

FOUR PERSONS IN HOSPITAL Four persons—two children and two adults—are in the Dunedin Hospital suffering from burns as the result of a fire which badly damaged a flat at 202 Hanover street, yesterday morning. The two adults received their injuries when they went to the rescue of the children who would almost certainly have perished in the flames or have been suffocated had they not been brought to safety. The injured are:— Mrs I. Brookes, married, of 238 Hanover street, burns about face and hands. Arthur Johnston, aged 19, garage employee, of Forbury crescent, burns about face. Mary Agnes Grigg, aged 1 year and 11 months, daughter of Mr and Mrs G. Grigg, 202 Hanover street. Gordon John Grigg, aged three years, their son.

The third child, Zela Grigg, was affected by smoke, but escaped injury.

The flat in which the fire occurred is situated over a general store kept by Mrs M. Allison, and was occupied by Mr and Mrs Grigg and their three children, the eldest being three years and the youngest six months. At the time the. fire occurred—the Central Brigade received the call at 11.44—the parents were away, Mrs Grigg, it is understood, being on a visit to her sister, who lived only a short distance away. The fire was first, seen by Mrs Brookes, who lived nearby. She called out to Mrs Allison, who was busily engaged serving customers at the time. Mrs Brookes then went to Mr J. A. White's garage, at the corner of Hanover and Castle streets, and informed an employee that she thought there were children in the flat.

Mrs Brookes then rushed back to the burning building and went up the only entrance—a narrow stairway leading from Hanover street—and a few moments-later she was back carrying a bundle—it was the child Mary Agnes. Both appeared to be badly burned. Mrs Brookes was followed immediately afterwards by Mr Johnston, who stumbled back again a minute or two later, carrying another of the children. He was reeling from the effects of burns to his face. It was reported later that another man entered the building in an attempt to rescue the third child, but had been driven back by the flames and dense smoke. By this time the Fire Brigade had arrived on the scene, but it was some time before it was learned that the baby was still there. She was found in a double bed in one of the bedrooms in which comparatively little damage was done by fire. Mr Johnston, with his face swathed in bandages, was seen some time later in the Hospital. “ I did just what anyone else would have done,” Mr Johnston told a Daily Times reporter. “It was a grim enough business entering

the burning flat, especially when you knew there were children there. “ I thought it was all up with both of us at one stage,” Mr Johnston continued. “The door leading into one of the bedrooms closed on me, and I .suppose it warped because of the heat, and I had to wrench it very hard to get it open again. , “ But the greatest shock came to me when I reached hospital. I then realised that there was a third child in the place. I informed one of my workmates, and he rushed back to inform the firemen It was wonderful to hear that the child had been rescued and that it was quite all right.” Mr Johnston said he would like the public to know something of the “ truly courageous actions of Mrs Brookes. She not only showed bravery, but resource as well. But for her it i slikely that two children would have died from burns or suffocation.” The building is owned by Mrs Allison, but details of the insurances were not’ available yesterday. Late last night the condition of the four injured persons was reported by the Hospital authorities to be satisfactory.