A Father Killed in the Attempt to Rescue His Child. Christchurch, March 8.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 194, 12 March 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

A Father Killed in the Attempt to Rescue His Child. Christchurch, March 8.

A fatal fire occurred at half-past five o'clock yesterday morning The fire occurred on the premises of Robert MacPherson, cordial maker, situated at the corner of Worcester street and Cambridge Terrace, whereby the proprietor lost his life, and building and plant were totally destroyed* It appears that the fire origin* ated close to the engine used for bottling purposes, and it is surmised that a spark must have caught the woodwork of the building, or that some inflammable matter must have caught fire early in the afternoon, when the engine was being used, and having smouldered all night, became un" controllable before it was seen. The buildj ing itself was two stories, one being of wopd, and had a long one-Btoried arm running along the Worcester-street frontage. The Worcest- r- street part of the building was used, the ground floor as a factory and officer, the upper portion a? a dwelling by the deceased and his family. The whole of the building was old. haviug been used at various times as an upholsterer's shop and a boot factory, bat as the roofing was of corrugated iron, part Bhingles, and the construction being very dry and the fire having gained great headway before the arrival of the brigade there was no hope of saving the building. Although there was no wind blowing at the time the presence of chemicals and the tinder-like dryness of the building caused it to burn fiercely, a telegraph pole in Worceßter-street on the same side of the road as the fire being badly damaged by charring. There were three persons who were sleeping in the building— Robert McPherson,the unfortunate man who lost his life, his son, a youth of 14 years, and daughter. It is said that McPherson could easily have escaped, but fearing his daughter was strli in tho building, rushed back into the place. Becoming suffocated by the denee smoke and fumes of chemical?,he became stupified and fell at tho top of the stairs and was burned to death. Hia body was found in that position, and was badly charred. It was taken possession of by the police, and conveyed to the morgue at the hospital. The Brigade, as usual, worked well, but it ! was fighting against hope, as the fire was uncontrollable from the first.