FIRE IN CHURCH

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1930, Page 6

FIRE IN CHURCH

DILATE! ROLL 150

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copy righ b).

BUCHAREST, April 19

A candle flame igniting a paper wreath, set fire to a wooden church n the little town of Gaesci. Out of the congregation of one hundred people, who wore observing Good Friday, only three were saved.

The great loss of life .was due to the. doors, which opened inwards jambing tightly. The decorations for the Orthodox Greek Church service rapidly spread the flames. The other villagers were unable to rescue the worshippers from the flaming church, and they surrounded the building, knelt and covered their faces with their hands, sobbing aloud. BUCHAREST, April 10.

In the church that caught fire the congregation consisted principally of women and children. In the rush for the doors, which opened inwards many were trapped, and one hundred and fifty are believed to have been burned or trampled to death, including two Priests.

FURTHER DETAILS

BUCHAREST, April 20,

Victims of the church fire are being buried in a common grave on the site of the burned church. The survivors reflate the Priest yheroidally sought to avert a panic and continued reading the Gospel in a\loud voice until overwhelmed by snioke and flames. It is stated it was a woman’s action which caused the tragedy. She blocked the only exit refusing to move until someone rescued her two children, who were seated in the front pews. An appalling panic ensued. The fire brigade arrived just as the roof fell in. The victims were tightly packed. In many cases only the heads of the charred bodies were left. A hundred bereaved mothers have vowed to commit suicide at the victims grave by remaining till they starved.