LOSS BY FIRE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 152, 9 April 1930, Page 6

LOSS BY FIRE

ONE WITH FATAL RESULT. BELGROVE HOTEL DESTROYED. BOARDER SUCCUMBS TO BURNS. (Per Press Association.) NELSON, April-8. The Belgrove Hotel, a fifteen-room-ed two-storey woodeni building, owned 'by J. Bowers, and occupied by G. B. McDonald, was destroyed by fire soon after midnight last night. The nine occupants escaped in their night attire. One, John Galvin, was badly burned, and died in hospital this afternoon. The insurances were: On the contents £650 in the South British office; on the building £2500 in the Queensland office. MORNING OUTBREAK. / * BUSINESS PLACES GUTTED. (Per Press Association.) DANNEVIRKE, This Day. A fire occurred shortly before one o’clock in wooden premises in the centre of the business area known as the Cosmopolitan.' Building, owned by Mr Leo Stein and occupied by several tenants. The structure was badly gutted at the back aud the loss to occupants of the premises of the ground floor by smoke and water is estimated to run into a substantial figure. The fire apparently started downstairs, and the flames ran up to the roof, the brigade being occupied for the best part of an hour before the outbreak was under control. Fortunately the night was palm, otherwise a disastrous conflagration would have been certain.

The occupants affected, and the insurances, are: Miss Dillon, milliner, stock and fittings £227 in the State Office; A. Hannah and Co., ladies’outfitters, stock £SOO in the South British Office; R. 'L. Bartleet and Co., boot importers, stock £3OO. in the South British, £950 in the State and £250 in the State on furniture and effects, the damage being mostly due to smoke and water; Ai Hendry and Co., confectioner, stock, South British, £550; W. Chich, dentist, fittings, Norwich Union, £2OO, and Alliance £200; George Peters, tobacconist and hairdresser, Royal Exchange, amount not known; Watson and Sinclair, drapers, in whose premises the outbreak is presumed to have originated, stock £llOO, Royal Exchange; Miss ATcPhail, dressmaker, no insurance. The building was insured in the Alliance Office for £4400, and in the New Zealand Office for £I6OO, and plate glass in the New Zealand Office also for £l5O.

MINISTER’S NARROW ESCAPE. SUCCESSION OF MISFORTUNES. DUNEDIN, This Day. The Presbyterian Manse, of 10 rooms, at Kaitangata, was destroyed by fire early this morning. The Rev. Frank McDonald, the only occupant, barely had time to snatch a few clothes and escape. Mr McDonald’s wife recently died while on holiday in Christchurch, and after his holiday his health broke down and he resumed preaching only last Sunday. Mr McDonald lost everything, including a large and valuable collection of books. The furniture was all new. The insurances are not available.