Singular Accident. Four Persons Burnt to Death.

Four persons have lost their lives at Hull in a very singular manner. A man named George Taylor, landlord of the Lord Durham public-house, Cross-street, in that town, had occasion to tap a puncheon of rum. For this purpose he had used a gimlet; but the hole made by the instrument not being large enough, he had the folly to heat the kitchen poker to enlarge it. On applying this instrument the spirit ignited, and an explosion took place. Taylor was dreadfully burnt on his hands and arms, his hair was singed off, and his clothes almost destroyed. He rushed into the street, and the fiery spirit instantly spread throughout the dram-shop, which was in flames in a moment. The housekeeper was in one of the back rooms, and had just time to escape unhurt; but two of Taylor's children, six years and four years old, were enveloped in the flames (which soon spread to every part of the premises), and were so much burnt that they died a few hours afterwards. There were two other children in the place; of these one was burnt to death in the place, and the other was so much burnt that she also died. So that altogether four lives were lost. The house was gutted, and a great deal of other damage was done before the fire was subdued.