SLEEPING GUESTS OVERCOME BY GAS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 207, 21 November 1927, Page 13

SLEEPING GUESTS OVERCOME BY GAS

AGED COUPLE POISONED While guests in the house of a brother-in-law, an elderly couple, Mr. James Lawson Morrison, aged 73 years, and his wife, aged ,4 5 ears, were overcome by escaping gas yesterday morning. Both were admitted to the Auckland Hospital in an unconscious condition at about mid-day. This morning Mrs. Morrison was still seriously ill, hut Mr Morrison had regained consciousness and was on the way to recovery. Their own residence was *#6 Fourth Avenue, Kingsland. They had helped the brother-in-law, Mr David Davidson, to shift his restdenco from 33 Fleet Street, Eden, to 6 Monmouth Street, Grey r vnn The furniture was not arranged until two o'clock in the morning and the Morrisons accepted an invitation to stay all night. They went to sleep in a small spare bedroom the window of which was closed. There was a small ventilator in the ceiling. The old couple did not answer calls to rise in the morning and Mrs. Davidson could not wake them by vigorous shakings. They were breathing heavily. They had evidently made some attempt" to get up from the bed before they were entirely overcome by the gas fumes. Dr. Fyffe Lamb who was Sailed, ordered then- removal to tal. The gas had escaped from a bracket with two jets and neither' had been turned off.