BURNED TO DEATH

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 267, 1 February 1928, Page 15

BURNED TO DEATH

ACCIDENT WITH PETROL YOUNG BOY’S FATE Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. Richard Vernon Watkins, _ aged 10 years, received such injuries from the explosion of some petrol that he died in Lewisham Hospital at 5.30 p.m. yesterday. The boy, his younger brother, and the two sons of Mr. J. H. Gale, of Hackthorne Road, were playing at Mr. Gale’s house yesterday morning when they found in a rubbish heap, left by the previous occupant of the house, a tin holding about a gallon of petrol. They took the tin to a paddock opposite the house, where they lit a fire. Watkins, who was holding some dry flax twine, dipped it in the petrol and set fire to it. Immediately there was an explosion and flames flared up on his clothing. His younger brother, aged nine, attempted to beat out the flames but had his hand badly burned. The other boys rushed up to the house to tell their mother, who at once telephoned for an ambulance. - It was. found that the boy had been burned from head to foot, and that all his clothing had been consumed. He was fully conscious right to the time of his death, and must have suffered terrible agony, although he composed himself with remarkable fortitude. At the inquest the coroner remarked that the tragic occurrence should serve as a warning to people not to leave petrol where children could get at it. On that accident no blame was attachable to Mr. and Mrs. Gale, because they had only just taken the house, and did not know the petrol was there. He commended the action of Reginald Watkins in trying to save his brother.