FATAL PETROL FIRE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 457, 19 May 1932, Page 5

FATAL PETROL FIRE.

Inquest on Death of Little Boy. FATHER CLEANING CAR. (Special to the “ Star.") HAMILTON, May 19. “ The public must be warned of the extremely inflammable quality of petrol,” said Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., coroner, in returning a verdict of accidental death at the inquest held into the death of Brian George Colin Soanes, ’ aged two years. Evidence was given by the father of the child, Percival James Soanes, that he was cleaning the engine of a motor-car with petrol in Hamilton on May 13, when a short circuit was caused through a knife he was using. The car burst into flames. A tin containing benzine became ignited, and the clothes of the child, who was playing near, caught fire. Witness said he would have used kerosene if he had had any. He had often used benzine for cleaning the car. Dr S. C. Colbeck, of the Waikato Hospital, said the child was extensively burned about the face, arms and legs, and died the day after its admission from shock caused by the burns. The coroner said benzine was certainly not the right material to use for cleaning cars. Kerosene was the customary fluid to use, and was cheap and effective. Familiarity, which bred contempt, caused the child's father to use benzine.