“Austrian Loses Life In Internment Fire,” Toronto Globe. January 1, 1917. Page 08.
—
Eighty-four Other Alien Enemies Escape Death
—
Blaze At Laura Camp
—
Powell Kioitory Got Out, But Went Back Into Burning Building to Secure Some Personal Effects and Met His Death.
—
Fire destroyed the Laura internment camp building at the Sudbury district industrial farm near Farmlands, on the C.N.R. at an early hour on Saturday morning. One prisoner, Powell Kioitory, an Austrian, was burned to death. Eighty-four other prisoners escaped death, and Kloitory’s death is ascribed to the fact that he persisted in returning to the blazing dormitory, presumably to accure something in his bed.

Mr. S. A. Armstrong, Deputy Provincial Secretary, received the following official report by wire yesterday from the Superintendent:

Laura Camp, at Farmlands, C.N.R. station, was burned at 2.30 a.m. on December 30. The administration cottage, store and all outbuildings were saved. One man, an Austrian interned prisoner, Powell Kloitory, about forty years old, was burned to death. There were eight-four prisoners, and all but the one man were safely removed. The evidence shows that Kloitory had fully dressed, and had gone out of or down to the entrance of the dormitory, and had then returned back into the building, where he was met by another prisoner, who had returned to secure bed clothes, and was coming out.

Caught in Flames.
‘This prisoners took Kloitory by the arm and tried to get him to come out, but he jerked away, plunged back into the smoke, and was overcome. It is supposed that there was something in his bed that he desired to secure.

‘The fire started in the bakery from some unknown source. The night guard blew the fire signal and unlocked the double fire escape door provided, and in three minutes the prisoners were all out.

‘The District Coroner of Sudbury was promptly notified and held an inquest the same afternoon. He expressed himself as being satisfied with the action of the officers in charge.’