THE TRAGEDY OF THE FIRE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12337, 6 October 1909, Page 5

THE TRAGEDY OF THE FIRE.

A tragic interest attaches to the fire, in that it caused the death of Fireman Douglas Williamson. In endeavouring to get c!o-:e to the feat of the fire, a lead of hose was taken upstairs, and Fireman Williamson hold the nozzle. Ho was standing on the landing at the head of the stairs, with the fire right above* liis head. Mr Alfred Eade, who is a life-member of the Brigade, went ;ip tc the mon and warned them of the danger. He stated this morning to a "Star" representative that he had ascended the stairs and saw the."firemen standing on the landing with the burning ceiling right above their heads. He warned them that they were in a dangerous .Position, and bogged them to leave. A couple of the firemen were ordered away to another part of the building; and left Fireman Williamson with the nozzle. Superintendent Sayv/ell had just left him, and was descending the stairs when crash cam*a. quantity of bricks and debris through the ceiling. "It fell right on the unforj tunale man," said Mr Eade, "completely burying him. I was standing [ only a few feet away. I tried to pull a sheet of iron off him, but the weight of the bricks was too much. Superintendent Saywell and others immediately came to the rescue, and we got him out. He Was dead, I believe, then. He never moved, and when the doctor .saw him he pronounced life to be extinct." It transpired that a chimney had collapsed and fallen right on the unfortunate firemar..

Fireman Sporle, who was almost overcome with the tinoko, went into a bedroom adjoining: to got out of the way, and Fireman FiV-her went downstairs a moment before the accident.

A sad coincidence connected with the fire is that whan the old wooden hotel premises were destroyed by fire five years ago, a. girl was burnt to death. Her charred remnins were found next morning in the debris.—"Stir."