CHRISTCHURCH.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3656, 14 September 1880, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

Monday.

Fire and Loss of Life.

Two Children Tmsat to Death.

Last evening a cottage near the Lunatic Asylum, occupied by Robert Winsor, an attendant at the asylum, and his family, was destroyed by fire, and two children, aged six years and three years, were burnt to death. It appears that before six o'clock Mrs Winsor went out to get some milk, leaving the children in the house and both front and back doors closed in consequence of the high wind then blowing. A fire was burning in the kitchen, and soon afterwards the kitchen was discovered to be on lire, and several neighbours endeavoured to enter the building, but were driven back by the flames. The children must have been suffocated by smoke, as no cries were heard. Their bodies, dreadfully disfigured, were found near the bed in another room. Both parents were much attached to their children, and the mother became insensible from the effects of the shock she received on learning their sad fate. The house aud effects were not insured. A MYSTERIOUS DISCOVERY. Ou Friday afternoon a labourer, whilst digging in the garden of Simon Fraser, at Sydenham, came upon a box in the shape of a coffin, about three feet down, containing the remains of an infant, which were removed to the morgue. Up to the present time no clue has been obtained as-to how the box came in the place where it was found. ■' This day. "At the inquest on the bodies of the Windsor children who were burnt to death on Saturday, an open verdict was returned. It is supposed that the fire originated from a spark blown out of the fire place. An appeal i 8 being made through the papers to the benevolent, and a fair sum bas been collected in a Tery short time.