FATAL KEROSENE EXPLOSION. A Woman and Child Burned. to Death

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 229, 19 November 1887, Page 8

FATAL KEROSENE EXPLOSION. A Woman and Child Burned. to Death

A frightful accident occurred at Newcastle at thevesidonco of a man named Malcolm, iv Rail way- sfcueefc, shortly before 8 o'clock this morning, resulting in a woman named Katherine Malcolm, 44 years of age, and her infant child, aged four years being burned to death. At the time stated, those residing in, the vicinity were startled by hearing sounds of a vioient explosion proceeding from Malcolm's residence, immediately followed by pitiful cries for help. Volumes of smoke were also seen issuing, from the rafters. Shortly after the interior of the building was observed to be in flames. The 'front door of the house was forced open, aad a shocking sight presented itself to the gaze of the spectators. Lying almost in front of the door was Mrs Malcolm, in, apparently, an unconscious condition, the front room and that* adjoining being, full of smoke. The woman was quickly removed to the stoeot, where she was founfil to be quite dead. Sounds, as of a, child crying being, heard, search was instituted, and, amiasb the smoke, lying on the floor, near where, its mother had fallen in her endeavours to e&cape, was a little child moaning pifceou&ly. The remains of the unfortunate woman were conveyed to the morgue, and the child was removed to the Newcastle Hospital. Two othes children of the deceased, a littljgirl and boy, I Lad a narrow escape. With the assistance of the neighbours and the members of the various fire brigades the fire was exitinguished, b<at not before considerably | damage had been done to fche house and : contents. The little child lingered in agony for fouar hours and tVen expired this afternoon. Coroner Martin held an i-jquest this afternoon on tin remains of Mi-s Malcolm. The evidencejshctwed that at tl 1 =>timeof theoopurrence, Mrs Malcolm was putting a kettle on this lirp y> a tin of kerosene, hall-full, with two small apertures at, the top, standing 2ft away.. By some means the flames. fsoni the fire reached the tfp and an oxjitosion followed. Almost immediately the woman and he«f infant child, >vho was playing under the table, were envo l t>ped in names. The eldest daughter of +ho decea&ed, ag?d 11, who T^as coming dov&a the stairs at the time observed her mother hastily pick vp the chril and run to the front door. Seemg 1 the rooan on fire the gi.»Crushedup&tair8 > aud was rescued by a man gained Hardy. Meanwhile her brother Sam;say, who was playing in tjhe yard, hear'^g his mother^ screams opened the back door and rushed inside. . The draught caused by the opening of the door gave impetus to the flames, which spread rapidly. Seeing his mother and little sister c$ fire the little fcUo"* 1 succeeded in opening the front door, but as soon as he got outside it slammed to and he heard a noise as o£ that of a fall. He. endeavoured to, push the door open frosa the outside, but being badly burnt an.4 almost exhausted by the effects of smol&o, he was unab^o to do so. His cries soon brought the; neighbours to his assistance, and two saen, named Malone and AJderton, burst open the door and at the yisk of their lives snatched the body of the unfortunate wo\»an and her little one fiom the flames. After hearing the medical e^ idence, the jury returned a verdict of death from burns accidentally received.