FIRES.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 214, 11 September 1886, Page 5

FIRES.

On Sunday, August 29, about two a.m., the house of Mrs MoCabe, a settler near Te Awamutu, was burned down, with all its contents. The owner of the house and her children had a narrow escape from being burned to death, the fire having made considerable progress while all were sound asleep. Mrs McGabe was aroused by a sick child calling for a drink, und on getting up to procure it, she found the house to be in flames She and her children hud barely time to escape in their night-clothes—a portion of tho roof falling in before they were clear of the buruiug building; but, fortunately, no one was injured. The house was insured in the South British Office for £200.

A fatal fire ocourred in Walker-atroet Dunedin, on ifriday morning, the 3rd inst, resulting in the death of an old woman named Mrs Joyce, better known aa "Granny" Joyce.- She lived in a oneroomed shanty at the back of the Rising Sun Hotel, and is supposed to have been sitting at the fire all night, and .that having dropped nr : . ep, she then fell into the fira.

Anothe .ire is reported to have taken place at Wairoa South, and a dwellinghouse and its contents have been completely destroyed. The outbreak took place about 8 p.m. on August 19, at the residence of Mr H. Hendordon, and is supposed to have been caused by the explosion of a keretene lamp, which was left burning. Mrs* Henderson and the children were iv bed at the time, and narrowly escaped with their lives. The loss is estimated at £400, of which only one-half is covered by iusurance—£lso in the South British Uffico, and £50 in the New Zealand.

On the night of Thursday, September 2, the residence of Mr John Adolphua Laing, of the New Zealand Shipping Co , a nineroomed villa, situated in St. Stephen's Avenue, Parnell, the propeity of Major James Gay, was destroyed by fire, By the time the Parnell Fire Brigade and the Salvage Corpa had arrived, the building was completely enveloped in flames, in fact the fire had got such a strong hold before it was discovered that there was no hope of saving tho building, more especially when such a fiorce gale was blowing. The Brigade therefore turned their attention to saving the adjacent premises. Fortnnately the villa was detached, otherwisea very large fire must have resulted Nothing is known as to the origin of the fire, aa there was no one in the house when the fire originated. There was a fire in the kitch n, and there were some sheets loft to air on a clothes horse in front of the fire, but a good distance back.

On Sunday night, 2 2nd August, a large two story block of shops, and dwellinghouseßon Mount RoskillKoadweredestroyed by fire. Very little is known as to the origin of the fire. Mr Paecoe eaya that in company with his wife and three children he went to the Mount Eden Congregational Church at 6.45 p.m.,leaving a little fire burning in the register grate in the kitchen. In front of the fire were three chairß on which was placed the children's night-dresses to atr. Subsequently some persons came to the church and told him that _ his place was on fire. When he arrived he found it completely enve'oped in flames, He was insured for £650, the policy being in the joint names of himself and Mr Campbell, who holds a mortgage on the premiees. Mr Paecoe'a premises consisted of a butcher's shop and dwellinghouse of eik'ht rooms. Tho other three shops belonged to Mr H. C. Heath, and were each attached to six-roomed dwellinghouses. Their occupants were MeaEvs Richard Pick.shoemakor; Carew H. Reynell, crocer-; and Arthur Dunn, greengrocer. The shops were insured by Mr Heath in the Royal Insurance Company for £550. |Mr Pick had £75 insurance on his stock and household effects, in the Norwich Union Company. Messrs Reynell and Dunn were totally uninsured, but succeeded in saving the greater part of their effects. Mr Meyer's stock was somewhat damaged by water. It is insured in the Standard for £200. Mr Keynell first difcovered the fire in Pascoe's premises. He noticed a emell of burning rags some time prior to the outbreak of the fire, but did not examine the bouse. Mr Pascoe's insurance thould pretty well cover his loss. Unfortunately, about £50 ready cash was also destroyed in the bouse. Sergeant Gamble, Acting-Dotectivo Herbert, and Constables Dowee and Collie were present, and renderod valuable assistance.

Three email chops and a etoreroctn, ah Gisborne, were destroyed by fire on Monday night. A spectator got his leg broken by falling into a drain.