A TERRIBLE CATASTROPHE.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 4, 3 November 1887, Page 2

A TERRIBLE CATASTROPHE.

A terrible catas'rophe occurred early on tho morning of duly Sth at Ardnahoe, a farm standing on the Isle of Bata, It appears that, six men and three women, who had beau employed in digging potatoes wont to sleep in the up nor part of a barn. They were awakened about one- o’clock by one of thorn shouting out that the place was on iire. They made fora ’udder lead ing to tho ground, but the flames had obtained such a hold of the place that thev could no: reach it. The man who gave tin' alarm was. however, successful in getting down to the lower storey and in rushing through the flames to the door. Another man got out by a window: tho remaining se'ven —four men ami throe women—were burned to death before succour arrived. The inmates of the farm were immediately aroused, but by that time the heat of the ilamos rendered an approach to tho burning building impossible The two survivors state that the screams of their companions when they found their escape cut off wore heartrending, the flooring of tho upper storey ultimately falling, and the bodies of the victims with it. They were so charred as to be wholly unrecognisable. Tire victims were all strangers to the locality, having only arrived from Greenock the previous night. No reason can he given for tho origin of the lire.