FATAL FIRE AT HOKITIKA.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11643, 9 August 1916, Page 6

FATAL FIRE AT HOKITIKA.

FOUR CHILDREN''BURNED TO DEATH. SIX PERSONS ESCAPE. " ’„' ; I Per Press Association. | * Hokitika, Aug. 7. 1 The residence of Archibald McNeil at Stafford was burned to the ground at 1 o’clock this mornfifg, and four children were burned to deathJames, aged ? years;—William, 4>£ years; Eileen, 3 years; and Patrick, 15 months. The charred remains have been recovered. Six - other persons in the house escaped. The Are broke out in a cottage of five rooms, in which there were ten persons, including Mrs McNeil and three jotber members of the family. The occupants of the house retired shortly after 10 o’clock, when everything appeared safe. Mr McNeil was awakmed by fire, and managed to get out with the baby, but the other children were apparently overcome by smoke and flames. Mrs McNeil was unable to, get. back into the bouse to save the children. The other occupants of the house were awakened, and managed to get out unhurt. Mrs McNeil, with the baby and the four children who lost their lives, were in the front bedroom, while the grandmother and a niece were in another room, and two boys in a third bedroom. The house was quickly consumed, together with the contents. The fire apparently started in a frbnt room. The house had iron chimneys. The alarm was given by ringing the church bell, but when assistance reached the scene it was too late to do miy good. The charred remains of the children were subsequently recovered. There had been a fire in the front room during the evening. The husband (Mr A. McNeil) left home on Sunday evening at 7.30 o’clock to work in a sluicing claim at German Gully, three miles away, and was not present when the disaster occurred. The McNeils were highly esteemed residents. THE INQUIRY. An inquest was held at the Courthouse, Stafford, this afternoon by Mr D. J. Evaus, District Coroner. Sarah Mnrtha, a cousin-of the deceased, wno was in the house at the time of the fire, deposed that she retired at 10 o’clock on Sunday night. Mrs McNeil, mother of the children,, retired shortly after The only fire that evening was burning in the front room. There was nothing unusual about the fire. Witness was awakened by the glare of a fire coming towards the door of her room. The fire came from the front of the house and down the passage. Witness rushed into the passage, where she found her grandmother, whom she assisted out the hack way. There witness took the baby from tier aunt, Mrs JSlcNeil, who also came to the back of the house. It was not possible to enter the house, but the aunt (the mother of the childern) went to the front and side, and tried to force an entry. The place was in fierce flames and an entrance was impossible. Witness then took the baby to a neighbour’s, where the two young cousins—who had escaped—were already being attended. Witness explained that a' fire had been burning in the front sitting room all the evening. She had not been aware the chimney had ever been on fire. Once a hole had been observed in the bottom of the fire place, and the hole stopped witli clay. Mary Heil, widow, residing near by, was up a quarter of an hour before the alarm, but did not observe anything until, outside when the alarm was given. She ran out to the back, and, hearing screams, discovered two young children from McNeil’s, end took them in and put them in bed. She afterwards saw the house in flames, the fire being practically in the front ana side of the building, where the front room was She saw Mrs McNeil and hearing that four children were burned rushed to the next neighbour’s and into town to give the alarm. Mrs McNeil had stated that the chimney in the front room was defective, and it had been necessary to fill up the openings with clay. Mrs McNeil now thought the fire must have started in the front firepalce. Dr. Childs gave evidence as to the condition of the bodies recovered. £ Archibald McNiei, the father, stated that he was away at work, and did not hear of the fatality till 3 a.m., when he returned to Stafford. Before leaving home on Sunday ho had cut a good supply of firewood. It was probable the fire started in the front room, but be was not able to say positively. The fireplace had a wooden hearth, and a piece of live wood might have fallen and caused the fire. 2 Constable Carroll stated that he saw McNeil’s bouse ablaze, and on arrival found the place practically destroyed. He was fold that four children had lost their lives and when a favourable opportunity offer-’ ed recovered the bodies. Two were still in the cot which had been upended, and two were in a double bed. He knew the parents, and the children were well cared for. Mrs McNeil was prostrated by the disaster. She stated that she was awakened by the noise of something falling, and ran out with the baby in arms. She roused the other inmates. hut was unable to return to her bedroom, where the four children were. The Coroner returned a verdict that the deceased children met their deaths by the burning of the parents’ residence, caused by an accidental tire, the origin of which was probably a defective chimney, which had previously occasioned trouble.