AN EXCITING INCIDENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2745, 15 February 1890, Page 6 (Supplement)

AN EXCITING INCIDENT.

Onb cannot imagine a more dramatic- or excitinor incident thnu.that which occurred at* 'i fire iu St. Peter street, Hncltney road. Two • younif ohiWren, left pliiying ia the buck room of the first floor of No 7G, accidentally set firo to the house. People outride hearing Hore:uns bent for the fire brigade, and attempted to rescue the unfortunate children. A womun made her way as far as the door, but was nnmpelled by tho heat and'smoke to retire exti'iusted. A man next managed to ascend the stHircHse, but at the door he 100 was beaten back in the same way. Another man, seeing this one's failure, dashed up past him as ho stumbled down the steps, scorched aud choking, but failed to peuetnito tho room, and had to throw himself down Rt.airs to avoid suffocation. Just as he arrived at the bottom t.he mother of the ohildreiv reached the houso breathless, having run all the way clown the road when she heard of the fire. Her friends delayed her an instant or so by telling her that a man had gone up, and was sure to bring the little ones down safe ; but when she saw the brave fellow .stumbling , out of a doorway fainting and gasping without the children, she chook her friends off and bouuded through the smoke up the stairs into the burning room. Instantly the cry went \\p that the three would be lost. " Every effort to extinguish the, fire was made by the excited and alarmed people with buokcte and other vessels;filled with water, aud some knelt down and prayed for the woman's safety. Everybody seemed to have given up all hopes of tho woman's re-appearance, when she was eaen to rush from the house with her two exhausted children in her arms. The crowd cheered, aud many of them cried for joy, while the more practical led tho brave, mother and her children to a place' - of safety and shelter, where the little ones were quickly restored from the effects of their fright.