FATAL FIRE AT A BOARDING-HOUSE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 196, 20 June 1903, Page 3

FATAL FIRE AT A BOARDING-HOUSE

EXOiriNO RESCUES. PEE PRESS ASSOCIATION. Auckland, June 19. At 3 o'clock this morning a fire occurred in a boardiug-hou-e in Wyndh m-street, formerly known as the Shakespeare Hotel, kept by an Austrian named Lukich, The fire star el in the top storey. There were in the building the proprietor, his wife, child,and i-ister ia-law, and four boarders—two men and two women—also an Austrian n>med Ma k Ojjartmich and an old man n m.d Mark Mirkayitoh, employed by tie proprietor. ' The inmates were aroused amid great excitement and cqnfusion. They endeavoured to escapj from 'ho upper windows by fire esjipes, but the darkness and den-e smoke rendered the situition terribie.

Mrs Lukich, with a baby ia her arms, was obmvol standing in terror at one of th'J windows. Mr J. F. Lowry. a Herald emphyae, mounted a fire escap ', secured tha child from its terror-stricken mother, and brought it safely to 'ha ground. The m ,ther and ottnrs e e iSsUel down the Bra es:ape without sustaining any iuj ny. Tin F-re Big ids then arrived and prevented the spre id of the fl e. . bodi h w<ire subs queutly fou d in the ruin of the t p storey, onebaing the old min Ma-kivitch, and the othtr i Maori nuned Kiepa, who was waiting for a Native land Court, Another daad body wis found in the dsbris of the fie. It is that of an iSnglisbnun, wh-.'sa name is unknown, who arrived list nLjht. His age u about tbiriy, Tbs remains of the E iglishman and the M lori were found -in the same bairooao. Mirkavitch's body was found on the stiira burnt to a cinder. He was evidently suffocated while atrempting 11 escape.

The rescuers state th it the Maori's body was found lying 'on its back completely covered with blanks's. There were no burns on th.3 body and death was evidently caused by suffoottion.

In the svms room tha EngHahmin was lying on a stretcher face dowuwatds with nothing on but his shirt. The body was burned only on th* neck. Hd also apparently died from suffjoition.

It is presumed that th 9 room was filled wi h smike while they flspt atid asphyxiitei 'hem. lhe Ejglishmm is a man J5 feet 8 inc'aes in height, of fiir coxplexioa, He was dres-ei in a light tuit and carried a swag. Toe fire apparently stirtei ia a small belreom adjoining the s"iir Undiog on tha fi-s't fl.ior. Tin ciu-e

I'hi bailliag was built o? bri.k .vi h \ britk dividing will. It con; stod ,i? throe stories an! as a^tic.

A num'ier of palic juried i\ th work of r s:ue sioj af er the lihrrn.

A rescue parry took the vvomen from tbe windows of the second fl or an i hinded tbstn dosvn the firj escipes, wheace they were taken into a neighbouring house.

Inquijy w_is mida if there wer.i mo;e boarders on the prenii<es, and it was stated that Markavitch was in the top of the buiidin;. The fire was thei ■ aging so fier.ely in 'he ntorey hit it was mpasjible to attempt to retch his bedroom.

Subsequmily it wis thit two botrders'sho ecjupied a room on th} ■second floor next tint from which the w.men were rescuid were missing. I-. »a 8 then imposnble to reach them, the fi.-a having spraad very rapidl/. Had tha fact be :n kaown when tbe were reanved, the Maori and the E iglishman could easily hive bean rescued.

The buiUtng wis owntd by Thomas F )by, aad was insured in th i Imparial

tflice for £ISOO. The furai m-e wai icsired in toe Lmdjn L verpojl and Globe.