SEVEN LIVES LOST

Chronicle (Levin), 29 July 1946, Page 5

SEVEN LIVES LOST

-Press Assoeiation

M other and Six Children TRAGIC COTTAGE FIRE

By Telegraph—

AUCKLAND, July 28. A tragie fire occurrecl at Taumangi, three miles nor'th of Putaruru, sliortly after 5 o'clock this morning, when a mother and six children were burnt to death. The victims were : — Mrs. Rona Gasson, aged 26, wife of Roy Gasson, bush eontraetor, Tanmangi. Phiona Gasson, aged nine. John Gasson, aged seven. Brett Gasson, aged five. Desmond Gasson, aged fonr. Gilbert Gasson, aged two. Thelma Gasson, aged nine montlis. Mr. Gasson and tvife and family occnpied a four-roomed wooden cottage owned by Mr. G. D. McEae, Tanmangi. At about 5 o'clock this morning Mr. Gasson awoke to find the roof of the cottage on" fire and the bedroom occupied by himself and his wife and infant, enveloped in flames. ITe called to his wife telling lierto get the baby while lie got out of the wiudow and rushed round to the back of tlie house where the other four children were sleeping in a back room. He thought his wife would follow. When he got to the back of the house he managed to get into the kitchen, only to find thc entrance .to the children \s hedroom blocked j by flames. Using an axe he tried I to knoek down a sealed door j leading into the bedroom but was j driven back by flames. He then tried tlie kitchen wiudow but again his entry was hlocked. Mr. Gasson then started looking for his wife and found she had not followetl him through the window. The flre had sucli a finn hold that he was unable to enter the room again so he rushed to a neighbour's house for assistance. Mr. Gasson suffered severely from slioek and required medieal attent ion. The cottage and its eontents were a total loss.