GREAT FIRE.

Bush Advocate, Volume I, Issue 71, 18 October 1888, Page 2

GREAT FIRE.

MIS: SUNNYSIDE ASYLUM ( ;r, -■•■;:•" gutted. . . -—V^ * Christchurch, Oct. 17.. I A disastrous fire broke out early » before 11 o'clock this morning at the jSunnygide ._ Lunatic Asylum j : about |hr&e in&esj lroth 'Ghiristchurch, J on the^ E^'ncoiii-tMd:^ The fire ' started in, the women's -.ward^pf^the I western wing. . .This- is si|uated jjL rjetbider: portion of the^l^ujlding which is of very. -large . exjten^,- and , has been ad<jled:.> to fromT time to ' . time. . The patients were all got put ' of the way directly the alarm was given, and no/ panic occurred i amongst tjiem. The fire was got under by 1.15 p.m.,, by which time the western wing was gutted, mosfc [ of the damage being done in the upper story, where the fire began. ' It was thought at one time that the [ beautiful . new ; recreation ;; \ hall, ' opened quite recently, would" have been destroyed; it was, however, | saved. Much migtii have been done to save the place, entirely had the people at the asylum sent in full information at once to Christchurch by telephone when; they , found they were unable |to|; cppe with the .fire themselves. The two fire "biigacle engines were out, but no request was made mi the much more powerful railway engine which did noli : g?et to 'work on the scene of action till past 12 o'clock. The other two engines: were got out within half an hour, and were forthwith taken to the^, river Heathcote, which, fortunately, runs close be-' hind the asylum, so. that Jhere was plenty of water avaiiableV A great deal of furniture,, etc., was saved, but a considerable portion was destroyed. The exact origin of the fire has not yet been ascertained, but it seams that at 8.30 this morning a chimney took fire, and was. supposed to have been put but. 1 At 10.45, however, a fire broke out in the attic above the C ward, through which the chimney passed. The' attendants were unable to subdue it and it is stated that the fire prevention appliances were not -all in good order. There are no insurances. Twelve months ago an insurance company submitted a price to the Government for insuring the asylum, but.it was thought too high. Arrangements have been made for lodging the inmates (all of whom are safe) in the old immigration barracks at Addington. The value of the part of the buildings burned is variously estimated, but it is probably little less than £12,000, The wing gutted was two storied, built of concrete, with a slate roof, part having been built thirteen years ago, and the newer portion nine years ago. There were no patients in the upper portion. Naturally patients are a source of most terrible anxiety when a fire occurs at an asylum, and it i 3 satisfactory to relate that in this instance no panic occuried, and that the patients were got away without mishap. There were 230 in number, and were safely stowed away in the laundry across the lawn. The men's ward was not attacked. In the confusion and the excitement the head attendant was in great uncertainty as to the fate of two patients who were missing for a time, but at last complete assurance came of the safety of everyone. This fortunate result is due to the cool, unselfish way in which the attendants, particularly the women, did their duty at a trying time, in the face of the disturbing fact that several of the men had lost their all.