STRUGGLED IN VAIN

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 448, 2 June 1937, Page 2

STRUGGLED IN VAIN

RESCUED WIFE FROM FIRE Old Man's Heroism Melbourne, May 20. How an 85-year-olfl pensioner dragged hit, 79-yeiar-old wife from the blazing post office ait Stratihewen, beat out the flames from her burning nightdress, and collapsed over her, exhausted, 15ft. from the flames, was described at an inquest at (he morgue. . The inquest war on Mary Louisa Miller, who died in the '■Roiyi.il M.el_ bourn e Hospital from the effects of burns received in the fire. . ’ Her husband, David Miller, after being assisted into the witness box, said that they had been in bed for an hour when he awoke to see the woodwork of the mantelpiece in the sitting room ablaze.

“I rushed 6u,tside for water, but. saw that I could not put the fire out. My wife was an invalid, and could not walk, so I dragged her from her bed to an outside verandah.” “From there I had to Toll, her across th e ground to a wire fence 15f awlay,” Mr Miller told the coroner.

Exhausted by his rescue efforts.', Mr. Miller then collapsed over his wife.

Th e old couple were alone at tihe post office. They had been sitting in front of a fire in the sitting room, Mr. Miller staid, and he hadi later wheeled his wif e into her bedroom and assisted her into bed. He had then returned to the sitting room and swept th e embers of the fire into the fireplace.

The fire in the sitting room had seemed quite safe'when he retired' for the night, Mr. Miller said. Constable Brough, of Whit'tlesea, said 1 that he had examined the ashes of the sitting room, and was of the opinion thlat. the fire had been caused by a’ burning log rolling on to the floor from the fireplace. The posit office was destroyed.