An inquest was held at the Wheelwright Arms, Penycae, on Saturday, before Mr. Wynn Evans, coroner, and a jury, of which Mr Maurice Kyffyn was foreman, on the body of an old woman named Elizabeth Wright, aged seventy-seven, of Bridge Street, Pant, who died on Friday evening from burns received the previous day. Samuel Wright, Pant Hill, son of the deceased, identified the body.
Joseph Ellis, Stryt Issa, Penycae, employed at the Pant Brickworks, said on Thursday he took a barrow full of hot ashes to the mount and tipped it over. When he had gone 150 yards or so on his way back to the Kilns, he was called by some children, who stated that the woman was ablaze. He went back to the mount, and with assistance extinguished the fire as well as he could. The old woman was afterwards taken home. When he went to her, she was pretty well covered with flames.
Sarah Elizabeth Jones, (eleven), Stryt Issa, said the old woman slipped into the hole where the hot ashes had been thrown, and her apron took fire. Deceased was gathering cinders. Witness saw her take fire and called out to the previous witness.
Moses Williams, labourer, employed at the brickworks, said he saw the old lady gathering cinders on the bank. He did not tell her to go away. Witness threw a barrow full of hot ashes down the bank. Deceased could see that the cinders were hot. He went away and heard a girl shout that deceased was on fire. When he went to the spot, he found Ellis trying to put out the fire. Witness assisted, and two women at the works took deceased home. They had a lot of trouble in keeping away these people from the bank.
The Coroner: Now coal is so dear, it is rather hard lines if they are to be stopped altogether, although, strictly speaking, they are trespassing. Dr. Jerman said he was called to see the deceased on Thursday morning, about eight o’clock. She was very severely burnt all over the body. The face was scorched, and her hair was burnt almost entirely away.
The Coroner having summed up a verdict of ” Accidental death ” was returned.
Source: Wrexham Advertiser 22/09/1900 BURNING FATALITY AT RHOS.
