TRAGIC FIRE NEAR HAWERA

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 363, 25 May 1928, Page 1

TRAGIC FIRE NEAR HAWERA

BROTHER’S VAIN ATTEMPT TO RESCUE VICTIMS’ REMAINS IN SMOULDERING RUINS (Special to THE SUN) HAWERA, To-day. A SHOCKING fire tragedy occurred at midnight in the “ Ararata farming district not far from Hawera, a settler and six children being burned to death. The names are:— ALFRED WOI.LER, aged 40 RUBY WOLLER, aged 13 ELLEN WOLLER, aged 11 ALFRED WOLLER, aged 8 RAY WOLLER, aged 6 DAPHNE WOLLER, aged 6 CHARLES PARNELL, aged 13

The mother and two children spent the night in Hawera.

The flat at the eastern end of the Ngawhine Gorge, about six and ahalf miles from Tawera, was the scene last night of a tragedy which for sheer horror and grimness has never previously been known in this district. At midnight on Thursday, a cottage in which lived a dairy farmer named Alfred Woller, with five children, and a boy named Parnell, caught Are, and the place was consumed. All the inmates were burned to death. It was in every way a terrible occurrence, and it caused a thrill of horror round the district, where the family has lived for a. number of years. The first intimation of the tragedy was received in town when Peter Woller, a brother of the deceased man, came with a neighbour into Hawera about 1 o’clock this morning, to report the matter to the police. Constable Thomasen returned with them, inspecting the scene of the fire, but beyond that nothing could be done, and he returned to town. The house was destroyed and only the charred remains were left of the family. This morning, about 6 o’clock, Mullan and Thomasen, and a Hawera “Star” reporter went out to the scene. The charred remains of the two bodies could be plainly seen among the blackened sheets of iron. Practically all that was left of the cottage was the mute evidence of this dreadful tragedy of the night. BROTHER’S AGONISED EFFORT Peter Woller, the brother, was the only one to see the house before It was consumed. He said he was living in a tent a couple of chains away down a little valley behind the house, and to the east. He was awakened about midnight with the sound of crackling timber, and looking out he saw the building was on fire. He dressed and rushed up, but by the time he reached the front of the cottage the back had already been destroyed. The flames and smoke were so fierce that he was unable to get inside, and he saw no sign of life whatever. He tried the door-handle, but it was red hot, and he could not open the door. There was a high southerly wind blowing, and as the cottage stood on the edge of the hill it became like a veritable furnace. As soon as the place caught fire, realising that nothing could be done to save the people, Mr. Woller went across to Mr. Woodhead, a neighbour, and after inspecting the scene of the fire they came into Hawera to report the matter to the police. Mr. Woodhead said he was over at Woller’s about 7 o’clock in the evening, and was sitting with Alfred Woller in the kitchen, near the stove, while three of the children and Parnell were amusing themselves at the table, two of the little ones having gone to bed. He left shortly after, and states that he saw the house at 11 o’clock, when there was no light or any sign of fire, He added it was about half-past 12 when Peter Woller came over to his house, and wakened him. He can give no clue or suggestion as to the origin of the fire. GRIM REMAINS OF FIRE

When a Hawera “Star” representative saw the scene of the tragedy, nothing was left but a few sheets of

iron, with smouldering embers round them.

The remains of one body in the left-hand back bedroom could be seen, while in the kitchen opposite, lying near the stove, was a body with the skull leaning forward, as though the person had fallen to the floor toward the stove. The charred remains of one other body were to he seen, but that was all. The rest of the evidence of the dreadful tragedy was concealed under the roofing iron. Mr. Woller explained that it was a four-roomed cottage, three rooms being used as bedrooms, and the fourth as a kitchen and living-room, with a small range in the right-hand corner, and a, lean-to iron chimney outside against the back wall. He said that the father usually slept in the left-hand front room with the girl Daphne, aged about six, while behind, in the back bedroom, were the two older girls—Ruby, aged 13, and Ellen, aged 11. In the other front rbom were two bedsi one occupied by the two boys, Ray (10 years) and Alfred (aged eight), and In the other Charles Parnell, a boy, of about 13, employed by Mr. Woller. His parents live in Nolantown. MOTHER ABSENT The late Mr. Woller was a man of 40 years of age, with a family in all of eight. His wife was living in Hawera with two of the children, a baby and a little one of about three years of age. Mr. Woodhead said that when he left shortly after seven o’clock, there was a good fire going in the range, and the two boys had also gone to bed. The only light In the kitchen was a kerosene lamp, which was on the table, and which was against the inside wall.' Alfred Woller did not always enjoy good health, and it was a common practice for him to get up during the night and make himself a cup of tea and get something to eat. The position of the body in the kitchen, which would appear to be that of a man, would lead to the supposition that this had happened last night, but naturally there is no proof of this. APPARENTLY SUFFOCATED The father had a small farm, and milked a few cows, supplying the Ararata Dairy Company. It is understood, too, that he sometimes did odd jobs in the neighbourhood. Sergeant Henry remained at the scene of the fire this morning early, while Constable Mullan returned to town to take out Mr. R. S. Sage, the acting-coroner, who went out later to inspect the remains, and decide what was to be done. It was found that the remains of all the children were there. Most of the children had not moved, and had apparently been suffocated. One of the girls and the boy Parnell had moved, and ■these bodies were found just off the beds. The rest were lying as they slept. The remains of the father’s clothes were found at his bedside, and his body was at the front of the range.