SHOCKING ACCIDENT THROUGH FIRE. Christchurch, this day.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 102, 16 May 1885, Page 3

SHOCKING ACCIDENT THROUGH FIRE. Christchurch, this day.

A sad oocurrence happened at Shirley, three and a-half miles from Clmstchurch, yesterday afternoon. The information to hand is to the effect that a labourer named Briggs, and his wife, left the two-roomed cottage they occupied about ten o'clock in the forenoon. Their three children, the eldest, a boy aged four years and three month?*, remained behind. The door was latched, but not locked, and a coal fire was left burning in the grate Mrs Briggs returned at two p m. On entering the house she found it full of smoke. On the floor lay the eldest child, dead, his body charred almost to a cinder ; while beside hiin lay the youngest child, a boy 11 months old, burnt severely about the lower part of the body. The third child, two years old, was standing in a corner of the room. Mrs Briega screamed for assistance, and Mr H. I*. Hale, who lives close by, camo, and After rendering what help he could, jode off and fetched Dr. Townsend, by whose advice the boy was removed to the hospital, where ho lies in a precarious state A hole a footi n diameter was burnt in the floor wher« the body of the dead child was lying, and there was a smaller hole near it. It is supposed that bis clothes caught fire ftt the grate, aad^ he j&ltad about the, room UU^he died*