WOMAN’S FATAL DROP FROM FIRE-ESCAPE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 689, 14 June 1929, Page 1

WOMAN’S FATAL DROP FROM FIRE-ESCAPE

HOTEL CARGEN BLAZE

Waitress s Tragic Death EARLY MORNING ALARM ALTHOUGH only some fifteen minutes elapsed between the time it was discovered and extinguished, an outbreak of flre at Hotel Cargen in the early hours of this morning was attended with fatal results. The death of Miss Sadie Lynch was a tragedy in every sense of the word. At no time was the victim in any danger. The scene of the tragedy, where Miss Lynch either fell or jumped from a fire-escape, was away from the seat of the Are, and other members of the staff negotiated with ease a Are-escape which would present little difficulty. The guests slept through the outbreak and many were unaware of it until they arose this morning.

The outbreak occurred in the wooden portion of the building in a room above the lounge. It was about a quarter to four when the night porter on duty discovered the fire and lie instantly gave the alarm, rousing the members of the staff who slept in that portion of the building and informing the manager, Mr. G. Lund. They discovered the seat of the Are to be- In an unoccupied bedroom. The flames had burst through and swept through the foyer at the top of the landing and were licking their way along a corridor in a westerly direction toward the staff's sleeping quarters. The house was not fully occupied at the time and this part of the building was practically only occupied by the staff, the bedrooms near the seat of the fire being empty. Mr. Lund’s first inquiry was for the staff, and he was informed by the porter that they had been aroused and we out of the building. The staff quarters were facing Short Street, on to which a fire escape gave access, and the window of the room occupied by Miss Lynch opened on to it.

ACCIDENT NOT SEEN She and other women members of the staff climbed out on to the fire escape and one after the other they climbed down the ladder to the safety of the street, with the exception of Miss Lynch. The others had reached the ground and were gazing at the Are when they noticed that Miss Lynch was not among them. It was thought at first that she had returned to her room and they called out to her to come quickly.

ff was then that she was discovered lying in a small yard beneath he road and underneath the ptat°rm leading to the ladder. It as obvious that she was badly ur t and a doctor and ambulance ere immediately summoned. A rew minutes later Dr. T. Wilkin rrived, but Miss Lynch was dead.

n u„° ,°. ne saw her fall, and the only exthat can be given is that rail- 66031116 dizzy and fell over the , h or else, in the excitement of thbment, Jumped over. The plat®PPears to be quite safe and it is from < t 0 lma Sfne anyone falling a, ® It is possible that she may , ” fallen from the ladder, but she the n , ot seen on >t- The distance from nr a P la t f °rm to the yard is about 30 ur to feet. m were all very excited,” said a a mi er s taff, "and Miss Lynch ppeared to hesitate about going out old the fire esca l> 6 . although an ~ ® r an d less active member of the of h ciimbed down safely ahead j n ner ’’ Later a sheet was found ly--I*,®across the railing of the fire Places’ but whet her Miss Lynch had low i 11 ,here w ith some idea of herself over it is not known, i “ n til a little over a year ago Miss arc v! Who was R h° u t 40 years of w«i’t “ a< * 116611I 16611 employed as head stress at the Grand Hotel, being

there for about 20 years. She made a trip to Australia, where her relatives live, and on her return was given a similar position at Cargen, where she has been ever since. Miss Lynch was an efficient member of the staff and was very popular with her fellowworkers. GUESTS SLEEP ON When Mr. Lund was informed that the members of the staff were out of the building he immediately shut the double iron fireproof doors, shutting off the fire from the remainder of the building. On the arrival of the brigade, which was promptly on the scene, he inquired if he should arouse the guests in the other portion of the building, but was advised not to do so as, in the opinion of the brigade, they were quite safe. As a result few of the guests were aware of the fire and its tragic results until they arose. By the time the brigade arrived the bedroom where the fire started was almost gutted and the flames were taking hold in the foyer outside and spreading along the corridor. In the foyer considerable damage has beercaused by fire and water, but few of the other rooms have been damaged. In the corridor leading to the staff quarters the scrim has been burnt off the walls where the flames licked along, and the heat has cracked most of the panes in the fanlights above the doors. The walls in this corridor, being very slightly charred. hiSfe suff erect"'ltttle damage. In fifteen minutes the whole affair was over. At no stage had the fire attained very serious proportions, and yet in those few minutes a life had been lost.

The tragedy of the occurrence lies mostly in the fact that the staff’s quarters were not seriously menaced and that within a few yards of Miss Lynch’s door four efficient fire escapes led to safety.

The origin of the outbreak is at present a mystery, although it is thought that a wooden dressing-table which was standing near the chimney leading from the lounge fireplace downstairs may have caught alight from some chimney defect. This, however, has not yet been established. Although the actual amount of the damage is not known, it will not be considerable. INQUEST OPENED An inquest concerning the death of Miss Sadie Lynch was opened before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., coroner, this afternoon. Evidence of identification was given, and the inquiry was adjourned sine die. It was mentioned that the victim’s correct name was believed to be Sarah Lynch. She was a single woman, aged about 45, and having no relatives in New Zealand, although it was suggested that she had a sister in Dunedin. Her parents reside in Brisbane.