PETROL IGNITES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21126, 27 August 1938, Page 18

PETROL IGNITES

JEWELLER FATALLY BURNED By Telegraph Press’ Assn<-ia:!m. AUCKLAND, August 26. The story of how a Jeweller, Thomas Robert Ballantyne, aged 59 years, a married man with three children, rushed for help into a neighbouring shop, with his clothes afire on the morning of May 30, was related to the coroner, Mr F. K. Hunt, at the inquest to-day. Ballantyne died on Wednesday last in the Auckland hospital. James E. Ballantyne gave evidence that his father said he was working alone at the rear of the shop pouring benzine into a basin. He was starting to clean a clock when he found he had insufficient light in the room. He climbed a ladder to open a wooden shutter, but when the ladded slipped he had to jump to save himself. As he jumped he knocked over a basin of benzine. Some of the liquid spilled on his clothes, and some ran along the work bench to where a lighted cigarette was lying. It ignited the petrol and the flames spread to his clothes. Running through the front shop he tried to extinguish the flames with a coir mat but was unsuccessful. He rushed into a flower shop adjoining and a customer managed to smother the burning clothes with a sack. He was sent to hospital. Evidence is expected to be completed, and the coroner’s finding given within the next few days.