Embers from Stove Caused Tragic Fire

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 368, 31 May 1928, Page 11

Embers from Stove Caused Tragic Fire

INQUEST AT HAWERA FAMILY BURNED TO DEATH (Special to THE SUN) HAWERA, Wednesday. That from the stove, which was set on timber, caused the fire in which Alfred Woller, his five children and another boy, Charles Burnand Parnell, were burned to death at Ararata last Thursday njght, was the opinion of the coroner, Mr. R. S. Page, who held an inquiry to-day. A strong southerly wind and the inflammable nature of the cottage were contributing factors. The mother and her two youngest children spent the night at Hawera. Peter Woller, a brother of the; deceased. who discovered the fire, told the coroner that he had tea with the family and left the house at 7 o’clock for his tent, which was in a gully three chains away. The crackling of wood and flames awakened him at midnight and he found a southerly gale fanning the fire. “I think the fire started at the stove at the back of the house, as it had a big hold there,” he said. “I was pushed back by the heat, and it was too hot to gain an entrance. There were no replies to my kicks on the door and calling out. Nothing could be done. I went to Mr. Woodhead’s house and then went to Hawera for the police. INFLAMMABLE LINING “Felt of a very inflammable nature lined the walls. There were no passageways and the windows were about 2ft. square. The front door was barricaded with paper and rags owing to the draughts, as the house was on a hill and exposed to all winds. “All seemed quite cheerful at tea time,” said witness. “When I left there was a good fire in the stove. There was a crack in the floor in l'ropt of the oven.” The coroner asked whether if an ember fell it would rest on the floor, and witness replied, “Yes.” The charred remains of the victims were pointed out to the police at daylight, but identification was impossible. Witness said that since the fire he found the stove was not set on bricks, but on 4in. by 2in. timber which under the ash pan had become charred and also under one end. Henry Woodliead, a neighbour, said that at 11 p.m. he saw no lights in the house. He was on the way home from a visit to neighbours. Witness said the ashpan had holes in it, and the stove was set on the studs of the house. “The house is burnt and they are all gone,” cried Peter Woller excitedly and halfcrying when he roused witness. “I happened. “When I looked the house had collapsed.” The front door had been nailed up three weeks ago because of draughts, said Mrs. Woller, wife of Alfred Woller, and mother of five of the children who were burned. “My theory is that the embers fell through the stove, probably after tea, and eventually fanned by the wind, burst into flame. That is the only possible thing that could have happened.”

“We were just looking on the bright side and getting on our feet again, M she added brokenly. The jury expressed deepest sympathy with the mother, and considered the fire had been caused by the defective stove, contributing causes being the strong wind and inflammable nature of the structure. CHIMNEY-PIECE ON FIRE WHOLE HOUSE DESTROYED (Special, to THE SUN) NEW PLYMOUTH, Wednesday. Early this morning the five-roomed house of Mr. F_ J. Ring, in Frankley Road, was completely destroyed by fire. The evening before, four neighbours had been visiting Mr. King, and while they Were there the woodwork over the chimney above the open fireplace caught fire. This was put out, but at about 2.30 a.m. Mr. King was awakened by the fire in the front room. He roused his wife and children, but the fire had such a hold that nothing could be done to save the house, and only a few blankets and some clothes were saved.