FATAL FIRE AT INVERCARGILL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1552, 4 September 1886, Page 3

FATAL FIRE AT INVERCARGILL.

The following are particulars of a fatal firs which occurred at Jnvercargill last Wednesday night. The fire brake out about 10 o'clock, in a house in Liddell street, owned by a widow named Kail]. It was burned down. She lived there with four children and a servant, named Flora McLeod, states:—" The inmatrs of the house retired shortly before 10 o'clock. They all ccoupied the same apartment, abedroom close to the kitchen. About twenty minutes sfter they got into bed, the girl heard a crackling sounr 1 , atid oa jumping up found the kitchen in flames. She called Mrs Kaill and urged her to get out of the house, but she replied to the effect that she could not do so. The girl then got three of the children, OBe baby in arms, out of the house, and again implored Mrs Kaill to endeavor to get out. Again Mrs Kaill replied that she could not, the probability being that by that time she was partially suffocated. Here the girl's story ends, and she is emphatic in stating that Mrs Kaill never left the bedroom, although it w&b reported that Bhe had got outside, but had afterwards returned to rescue her boy. W. Deyerill who was among the first on the spot, said he heard the crying of a child, and broke one of the front windows, but the volume of smoke which burst forth in his ftoe made further effort at rescue impossible. When the members of the Southern Fire Brigade arrived they speedily got to work, their attention being directed particularly to the part of the building in which Mrs Kaill'e bedroom was situated, but for a long lime no trace of the woman's body or that of her child could be foond. Shortly after midnight, however, the trunk of Mrs Kaill's body was found among the debris. The building was insured ~ for £2OO in the Equitable office. Mrs Kaill, who, with her child, has perished so suddenly, was left a widow a few months ago, her busband dying suddenly. Her body was found in the passage leading out of the bnilding indicating that she had tried to obey her servant's calls but was stifled by the smoke.