BURNT TO DEATH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 February 1939, Page 5

BURNT TO DEATH

AUSTRALIAN VISITOR LOSES LIFE

FIRE IN BACH AT PIHA BEACH.

VAIN ATTEMPT AT RESCUE. (By 'feiegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. February 12. Within a week of his arrival at Auckland, an Australian visitor was burnt to death in a fire which destroyed a bach in Piha early this morning. He was a married man with five children. his family still being in Sydney. His companion, also an Australian, was unable to attempt a rescue and had to dash from the blazing building to save

his own life. The victim was Gordon Robert McKay, aged 43. fruit preserver, Burwood, Sydney. Mr McKay had taken £2OO in Australian banknotes with him to Piha and the whole amount was lost in the fire. His companion, James Arthur Talbot, aged 38, fruit preserver, ■also of Burwood, Sydney, lost everything he had taken to the beach, including £33 in Australian currency. The two men arrived at Auckland last Monday by the Mariposa and had entered into negotiations for opening business in New Zealand. They took the bach for a short holiday. About 1.30 a.m. Mr Talbot was awakened by a fairly loud bumping sound, and he found flames beginning to lick through the panelling. Realizing the need for quick action he thrust open the door in the hope of dragging Mr McKay to safety, but he was immediately driven back by a wall of flame. The heat singed Mr Talbot’s face and

clothing as he staggered back to safety and by the time he had escaped from the bach the four-roomed wood and iron building was well ablaze. “There was absolutely no chance of getting into Mr McKay’s room,” said Mr Talbot later. “There was no sound from him and he must have been overcome long before I arrived at the door.”

Mr Talbot, who suffered considerably from shock, ran for assistance but the earliest two arrivals found it impossible to force an entry to Mr McKay’s room. One broke through the back door but was driven out again by the fierce heat. It was now obvious that nothing further could be done to rescue Mr McKay. His remains were recovered later.