Fatal Fire near Ashhurst

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 142, 7 June 1887, Page 3

Fatal Fire near Ashhurst

At 10 o'clock on Saturday night one of our runners, on his return froni his Ashhurst round brought word to town that Mr John Reid's house, near Ashhurst, had been burnt down, and a man burnt to death. The lad was sent at once to Constable Manning to give information of the sad occureuce. Our runner states that Mr William Beid, brother of Mr John Keid, who it now turns out is the victim of the fatal disaster, spoke to him as he was passing the house, which would be about 6.30 p.m., and asked him for bis paper. The lad is quite positive that jfte poor fellow was' all right then und perfectly sober, it being bright moonlight at the time. In fact, we learn he, was not given to drink at all. .After our runner "had fed his horse, and was about starting for home, he noticed the glare of the fire, and called the attention of Mr T. Nelson and others to the circumstance. The first impression from the direction of the firs was that it was Mr Maunder** place. When the locality was reached it was seea that Mr Keid's house was nearly destroyed. They then learnt that a man had been burnt to death, but who was the victim could not be definitely ascertained. The ' sight of the burning tr«nk is described as a horrible one, the flesh being burnt off the bones and the internal organs being all in process of • combustion. The body was lying on its back. The nearest neighbours were the Bogans, who first saw th« flames, and rushed over to render what assistance was necessary. They Bay that the candle was still burning the door open, and it seemed as if the man had made a rush to get outside and being overcome had fallen backwards, in which position he was when seen. It was out of the question to attempt to rescue the body though, even then life appeared to have been extinct, and the clothes were already in flames. How the fire occuired cannot be surmised, as it was almost too early for the man to have been in bed, and the house being only a two roomed one, it seems difficult to conceive how he did not succeed in making his escape. There was no other occupants in the house at the time, Mr John Keid and the Russian jPinn who worked for him, being in i Palmerston at the time. An inquest 1 into the circumstances took place bei fore the Coroner, Ck M. Snelson, Esq , this afternoon, at Ashurst, but the verdict, nor any furtlp : particulars of the sad occurrence lif«i n«r reached us at the time of our first edition going to press. — Standard.

(PBB TTNITKD PEEBB ASSOCIATION.) PaliMkbston Nobth, This Day. At the inquest on William Reid, the yerdiet was— "Came by death bj -feeing burnt in his whare." The evidence showed he was in the habit of reading and smoking in bed, and from the position the remains were found in, it would seem he was Ruffocited when trying to reach the door, I and fell. *>***> subsequently being I burnt