BURNED TO DEATH

Waikato Independent, Volume XXX, Issue 2423, 4 December 1930, Page 5

BURNED TO DEATH

IN BLAZING BOARDING-HOUSE. BOARDER JUMPS THREE STORIES. (By Telp'rrnnb—Kro«a WELLINGTON, This Day. Caught by the flames which swept through a burning building at Oriental Bay, shortly after midnight, two people made a desperate attempt to escape. One failed and was burned to death. She was Mrs Ellon George Watson, owner of the building, which was in Hay Street. A boarder, named Walter Gray, married, aged 40, who was unable to descend the' stairs, leapt from the third floor and was seriously injured. He was rushed to the hospital. He received serious injuries and bruises. The injuries are thought to consist of a skull fracture and fractured ribs. The building was a wooden one, consisting of two stories and a basement. The building was enveloped in flames when a woman in the house smelt smoke and gave the alarm. The fire had its origin in the first storey, and mounted rapidly to the floors above, cutting off escape to two of the unfortunate people. Mrs Watson’s room was just above the seat of the fire. Apparently she was aroused when the alarm was first given and attempted to make her way out by the rear stairway, but lost her ■ way in the darkness and smoke and stumbled into the bathroom, where the charted body was found. .