FIRES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7827, 21 June 1909, Page 4

FIRES.

Per Press Association. BLENHEIM^ June 19. Shortly before midnight a fire broke out m a five-roomed cottage m High street, owned by J. J. Wensley and occupied by G. Malloy. The flames had a strong hold when discovered, and nothing was saved. The occupants were absent at a dance at the time of the outbreak. The insurance on the house is £150 m the Phoenix. Malloy's furniture and effects were covered by a policy of £85, and a piano (the property of Malloy's brother) for £57 10s, both m the Royal Exchange. DUNEDIN, June 19. At midday an employee noticed that the coal stored m Mr John Mill's chief coal store (near the wharves) was smouldering^ When the brigade arrived dense smoke was issuing from under the wooden joists of a tin building on the closed side, and the whole yard on the open side was black with it. The horses had been safely removed from the stable without a stampede. There are probably 2000 tons of coal of all kinds m store, but the seat of the outbreak was deep m 600 tons of Blackball coal, some of which has been there for eighteen months. This coal was presumably dry, but had evir dently got warm and ignited spontaneously. Two firemen climbed m under the joists to reach the seat of the trouble, another mart had just descended from a ladder, when the whole of the. wall collapsed, and fell outwards and buried the ladder. The supports had been partially burned through, and the enormous pressure of the coal along the face .of about fprtv yards had carried it clean away. The two men up above, were not hurt, but had there been anyone on the ladder he must have been killed outright. Meantime men had boon shovelling coal clear on the other face, and a strong pressure of water reached the centre of the fire and quelled it. The damage done is estimated at £150._ The place and contents are insured m the New Zealand and Standard offices.