FATAL FIRE AT AUCKLAND.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3612, 8 February 1883, Page 3

FATAL FIRE AT AUCKLAND.

A MAM AND WOMAN BURNED TO DEATH. Auckland, This day. Shortly after midnight a five broke out iv a block of buildings in Lower Wakefield .street. It originated in White's restaurant,■which was destroyed, and Sandall's butcher's shop, Lcadbeatters' store, laid Burkes bellows manufactory were much damaged. The fire broke out so suddenly, and appeared to have .such groat hold on White's restaurant before it was discovered, that no opportunity was afforded of ascertaining whether any of the occupants were inside. Several persons knocked at the front door, and also at the back door, but, getting no answer, came to the conclusion that White had got out, and was knocking about in the crowd. The police, however, soon discovered that no one had seen White after the outbreak, and as soon as practicable search was made iv the charred ruins of the restaurant. The work of searching" upstairs was difficult and dangerous, as the flooring was burnt through, and in several places there were large gaps, but the firemen soon came upon the body of a woman lying underneath the front window on her back iv a chemise, and adjacent that of a man on his hands and knees. The bodies presented a dreadful spectacle, being blackened and charred externally, and one of tho thighs of the woman had been half burned through. The police identified the body of the female as that of Mary O'Neal, aged -10, (from a portion of a dress lying beside her), who got twenty-four hours' imprisonment the other day for the larceny of a flannel, and the body of the man as that of George White, aged 1.5, the keeper of the restaurant, and formerly cook at the police barracks. White had been seen about 6 o'clock last night somewhat under the influence of liquor, and it is feared the woman was in the same condition The insurances are—Buille's building, South British office, £200 ; Leadbetter's building, £200 and stock £100, Colonial office. Sandall's insurances are said to be in the National and Colonial offices, but the amount is unknown.