SHOCKING FIRE TRAGEDY

Putaruru Press, Volume XX, Issue 1193, 1 August 1946, Page 4

SHOCKING FIRE TRAGEDY

MOTHER AND SIX CHILDREN Incinerated In Home House Near Putaruru A ghastly tragedy occurred at Taumangi between 4.30 and 5 o’clock on Sunday morning, when, as the result of fire destroying a house, a mother and six children were burned to death. The victims were:—

MBS. RONA GASSON, aged 26 years, wife of Mr. Roy Gasson, logging carrier, and

HER SIX CHILDREN, aged from nine months to nine years

PHIONA GASSON, a girl aged nine. JOHN GASSON, aged seven. BRETT GASSON, aged five. DESMOND GASSON, aged four. GILBERT GASSON, aged two. THELMA GASSON, aged nine months.

It appears that Mr. Gasson was awakened by the noise of the fire, the flames at that time running across the ceiling and down to the bed. MrGasson immediately roused his wife, and thinking that he had awakened her, jumped out of the window—the only means of egress owing to the flames—and ran round to a porch-room where four of the children slept. With -an axe he cut a hole in the wall of their room, .only to be met with an overpowering sheet of flame and belching smoke. One of the other children .slept in the sittingroom, and the youngest in the room occupied by the parents. The fire had such a hold of the whole building when Mr. Gasson woke that it was not long before the home was totally destroyed, the flames spreading with such rapidity that in spite of his best efforts Mr. Gasson was unable to save any member of the family. Faced 'With this position, Mr. Gassoti ran to neighbours for -assistance,, and was in such a mental state as a result of the tragedy that on returning to the fire he had to be cared for and later had to receive medical attention.

It is understood that the family had attended the pictures at Putaruru on the previous evening. It is thought that the fire may have started among some clothes left in front of the fire to dry. The heat was so terrific that the bodies were reduced to char, the features being totally unrecognisable. AppaVently one of the four children sleeping in the porch had awakened, as the remains were found in another room. Eariy on Sunday morning Constable T. Cotter, of Putaruru, Inspector Sparks and Detective-Sergeant White, of Rotorua, Senior-Sergeant Dennehy, of Hamilton, together With police photographer and Dr, Fitchett pathologist, of the Waikato Hospital, and Constable W. E. Mqore and Mr. A. J. Tong, J.P., coroner, of Matamatap attended at the scene of the tragedy.

Tlie house was one of five rooms, including the porch, and was erected about 12 years ago. It stood on the Taumangi Road, not far from the Main Tirau-Putaruru Road, on the property of Mr. G. D. Mcßae. Mr. Gasson is 34 years of age and belongs to a well-known Tauranga district family. He has been in the Putaruru district for about five years and is well and favourably known. Mrs. Gasson was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Jones, of 89, Grey Street, Hamilton. She was born in Whangarei and was married in Auckland- Afterwards he lived at Papakura and Mamaku before going to Putaruru.

Mr. Gasson’s parents live at Tauranga.