THE DUNEDIN EATAL FIRE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 261, 31 July 1919, Page 6

THE DUNEDIN EATAL FIRE

CAUSTIC COMMENTS BY THE. CORONEE. By Telegraph. - I'rami Apuoclatlon. Dunedin, July 30. The inquest was concluded to-day on the bodies of Duncan Macdonell and Samuel Docherty, victims of tho boarding'house firo in Oargill Street.' The fact that tlie place was not licensed drew the comment from tho Coroner that if tho City Council officials had exorcised greater vigilance the position would have been improved in the direction of fireescapes, though the absence of escapes did not entor into tho reasons for tho deaths in these two cases. He added that he would recommend the council to seo that in all cases firo extinguishers were provided. In giving his verdict, the Coroner found that Macdonell died from suffocation and burns, and Docherty from Bhock. Tho Coroner said that lie did not think for one moment he had got tho correct story. He was not at all satisfied with tho evidence; which in his opinion was very guarded, very likely because some of the men had not liked to disclose what was going on. There was,-no doubt that Docherty was three-parts drunk, and' bottles were also found in tho house. The fire originated in Docherty's room, but there was nothing to show how it started. He thought that boardinghouses should have fireescapes, also means of extinguishing an incipient fire. "This- has been a most ■unfortunate matter," concluded the Coroner, "and has occurred under most unfortunate conditions."