DEATH FROM BURNS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 6, 2 October 1917, Page 3

DEATH FROM BURNS

FIRE AT A BOARDINGHOUSE

INQUEST ON H. M'CAFFERTY

An inquest w.'is held yesterday afternoon Tsy Mr. S. E. H'Carthy, Coroner, concerning tho death of Hugh M'Caft'crly, an able seaman, aged 61, who succumbed on September 26 to burns received at- the fire which occurred' at I'ox's ooardiughoiisa on the evening o£ September 10.

•Dr. Lowe, assistant house surgeon at the Wellington Hospital, 6tated that Hugh M'Cafferty was admitted to t):o Hospital on the evening of Septomber 19. Witness did not seo tho man -until the next morning. He had burns on .each hand, a severe burn on the head about 6in. by 4in., and ono on the left shoulder about 3}ji. by 2in. He has lees severe bums on the face, and one on the back of the neck. Witness attended Die man right through -until his death. Deceased, in the opinion of witness, died of hypostatic., pneumonia, duo to shock: caused by the injuries, and also to the recumbent position in which ho I'ad to bo treated. >

John Foi, • Tioardinghouso-keeper, No. Ml Willis Street, said iie had known M'Cafferty for many years. Doraased had lodged with witness for a considerable time. ' He had been a nightwatchman for the past three years, and wa§ a single man, Rged about 61. He hod no relatives in New' Zealand. He Occupied rbom No. 12, second floor, in the boardinghouso. Ho was never seen to diink a great deal. The window < f the room which M'Cafferty occupied looked out into a, passage-way,' There were 6<rsenteen rooms in the boardinghouse, which, was built of briok, the inner partitions being of wood. The room next to the one which deceased had 'occupied had a lire-escape leading into an alley-way. M'Cafferty had known the position of This fire-escape. There was a stairway about three or four pafces from the room in which the deceased had ocoupiid. The room to which the fire-scape was attached was not occupied night of the fire; furthermore, there was no lock on. tho door, and the room c-.uld not have been locked had it been occupied. A notice was posted -'n a prominent plaoo indicating the position, of the fire-escape. There was no gas or elcctrio ttght in the bedrooms^-the'boarders •useil candles. On the night of tho fire witness left home about 7.30 p.m., and his wife left a little later. "The fire was discovered about 8.21 p.m., and witness had no idea of the origin of it. Tho outer door of the boardinghouse .was not locked at night. • Thomas B. ClaTke," senior station officer at tlie Fire Brigade Station, stated that at 8!2-J:p.m. on September 19 they got the alarm on the street fire alarm system at the corner of Boulcott Street and Willis Street. The brigade reached tho boardinghouse within two minutes, and'tho fire then had a good hold. The room that had boon occupied by deceased was near the seat of the lire, and flames wero coming out of tho window of that room when the brigade arrived. Subsequent examination showed that the blankets and bedding in. , tho room, also the wooden stretcher, were burnt away. The fire-escapo montioned was a good one for that part of the house. " About 9.'JO p.m. witness 6aw M'Cafferty in tho backyard, and spoke to him. M'Cafferty was then only partly dressed, and stated.that he wanted to go, to tho Hospital, for he had got burned, and had fallen out of the window of the room ho had been occupying. The height of tho window from the ground would bo between lift, and 12ft. The man was promptly taken to the IJos-,, p'tal by the police. , Frank Simpson,- station o,fficer of the Wellington I'iro Brigade, staled that ho attended the firo; he saw M'Cafferty at .The rear of tho building making towards tho fire. Witness pulled him back, and placed Km ill a shed. He was then partly dressed. Tho man did' not sfceak, and witness thought lie was intoxicated. He did not seo the man again until tho police were about to take him away to the Hospital. .• Georgo Henry Sale, sugar boiler, stated that he had lived at tho boardinghouso for eight or nine years, and knew M'Cafforty intimately. He saw him last at 7 p.m. oii the date of Ihe fire. ' Witness occupied the next room to him. M'Cafferty had had. some liquor that evening, but was not drunk. Witness could smell whisky on him. He cam© to get some matchcs : and" a pieco of candle from witness.

Constable K, 6. .Black stated that the Toom which deceased had occupied was completely burnt out. Thcra was scarcely any sign of a. bed having been in tlio room, which was about Oft. square. Tho wooden partitions on. each side were burnt, out, and the interior framoworkof ■the window was also burnt away. The beds in the adjoining Tooms had only been damaged 1 - by smoko _ and watery in one instanco and only slightly mora in the other. Amongst tho.debris in the room-occupied by deceased ho found the capsules of two bottles of whisky. . Tiio means of escape provided were sufficient for ordinary circumstances. Tho fireescape referral to by previous witnesses was still attached to the building.

Constable F: E. Mitchell gave evidence as to taking M'Cafferty to tho Hospital. When at the Hospital he spoke to the man, who gavo his name and occupation. He further slated .that he went to bed that evening shortly before 8 o'clock; that lie was awakened by the fire, which he thought originated atjlio foot of tho stairs. The Coroner returned a verdict that death 1 ' was caused by hypostatic pneumonia due to burns received in a fire, the ipaii boing at the time in a state of intoxication. *