THE LATE FIRE AT PAROA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4129, 15 June 1874, Page 3

THE LATE FIRE AT PAROA.

The following particulars of the late fire, by which the small township of Paroa, iu Westlaud, was destroyed, and in which a girl named Elizabeth Houghton was burned to death, were furnished to the head of the Provincial Police by Sergeant Aloller : The deceased was twelve years of age, aud serving as nurse girl with Air. James O’Connor, who, for some time past, has been residing in and conducting Air. Alaurice O’Connor’s Bridge Hotel at Paroa. On the night of the fire Air. James O’Connor went to bed early, leaving Airs. O’Connor, deceased, and the barmaid (Miss Cendrick) in the sitting-room. There was also a miner named Daniel A tackier sleeping in a bed-room upstairs. As near as can be ascertained, about twelve o’clock Airs. O’Connor saw a glare of light on the window iu their bed-room looking into the bar. She called her husband, who, on looking into the room where the nurse-girl was sleeping, saw that the whole house was on fire. He caught up the youngest child and ran into the yard with it, and in passing through Elizabeth Houghton’s room, caught her by the arm aud pulled her out of bed, saying “ follow me quick, or you will be burned.” After leaving his own child in the yard, he rushed in aud found his wife, Aliss Cendrick, the 11111*36 girl, and Alacklar, altogether in the dining-room or the girls’ bedroom, lie is not sure which, and rushed for the other children, telling the grown-up people to follow him or they would all be burned. None of them had anything but their night-dresses on except Alackler, who did not undress going to bed. The heat of the burning building was so great that the women’s linen and hair caught fire, and the smoke bo intense that they could not see one another, but followed O’Connor by the sound of his voice, and got out of the building, all except the little girl Houghton, who was missed shortly afterwards. Air. O’Connor is sure that he pulled her out of bed, aud in the excitement of the moment trying to rescue liis own family, thought that she was able to follow the rest. Airs. O’Connor is also sure of seeing the girl with them, and speaking to her just before they got out, and Alias Cendrick is certain she hoard the girl speak to them, but cannot say that she saw her out of the bed. It was only a few minutes altogether from the time Airs. O'Connor called her husband until the whole place was in full flame, and the remainder of the inmates had barely time to save their lives. The body bf the deceased was found by Air. Alichael Dowling about five o’clock next morning, all completely consumed by flames. It was lying as if she had rested on the bed when she died. All the witnesses agree to the above statement, and Alackler further states that ho lay awake for about an hour with his eyes closed, when ho suddenly felt the room fill with smoke, and on rushing to the door found the passage and stairs all ablaze. He went back trying to get out of the window, but that was also burning. He turned back and rushed through the flames, and fell down stairs with the barmaid. They were so completely smothered with smoke that they could find no egress from where they were, and Aliss Cendrick was saying to him, “ Oil, Dan, we will be burned to death,” when O’Connor came rushing past them, and called out, “Follow me or you will be burned.” They were at the time either in tho diningroom or the girls’ bedroom, and following O’Connor by the sound of his voice, managed to get out, the woman all burning.