DEATH BY FIRE AT LYTTELTON

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 719, 9 October 1876, Page 2

DEATH BY FIRE AT LYTTELTON

THE INQUEST. An inquest was held on Saturday afternoon, at Warne's Hotel, Lyttelton, on the body of Margaret Jenkins, who was burnt to death on Friday night last. Mr J. G. Pyfe was chosen foreman of the jury. The coroner, Dr Coward, conducted the inquiry. John Kenner said—l knew deceased ; at ten o'clock last night my wife called me to come out quickly, as there was a fire at Mr Jenkins'. I came down stairs and went to Mrs Jenkins, and saw her lying under the verandah quite naked, fragments of burnt clothes all round her. Mr Bobinson came out from the passage and said he had just put out the fire that was in the passage. We remained with Mrs Jenkins till the doctors came. She never moved or spoke on the verandah. I heard no cries, and it was not more than two minutes after I first saw her to the time when I got up to her. There were broken portions of a kerosene lamp in the passage. I thought Mrs Jenkins waa dead when I saw her lying on the verandah. Thomas Garnet Jenkins sworn, said—l am son of deceased; I saw her well at home about 7 30 p.m on Friday ; I then went down town with my sister. We generally burn a kerosene lamp; I returned home at 10 p.m, and found some people carrying my mother into the bedroom; she was very much burnt from head to foot; three doctors were with her; they dressed her wounds; they put flour on them; she died about 8 this morning. Deceased was 55 years of age. John Thomas Bouse, sworn, said—l am a duly qualified medical practitioner; I was called to see Mrs Jenkins at 10 minutes past 10 last night; when I saw her first she was lying in the verandah wrapped in a tablecover ; I had her lifted in a blanket and carried in and put on the bed; she was badly burned from head to foot, the only vestige of clothing on her was a small portion of each stocking. I was afterwards joined by Drs Donald and McDonald. Mrs Jenkins was quite conscious, and told me that she was carrying a large kerosene lamp from the bedroom to the kitchen, and it fell and broke; she could not tell how she set fire to her night clothes and the paper on the wall. Everything was done that could be; it waa a hopeless case from the first; she died this morning. I have seen the fragment of the lamp, and it appears to me that the reservoir had been broken at some time and mended with putty or lead, and by some means had tumbled from the stand as she was carrying it. The jury said they desired to hear no more witnesses, being thoroughly satisfied with evidence already adduced, and returned a verdict of " Accidental Death."