FIRE AT THE QUEEN'S HEAD HOTEL.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 55, 4 July 1887, Page 5

FIRE AT THE QUEEN'S HEAD HOTEL.

Shortly after 6 o'clot lasb evening a fire broke out in the (jeen's Head Hotel, Upper Queen-street. !\s many people were at that hour on to church,a large crowd soon collected, ffn avery short space of time the Fire Brigacl, under Superintendent Hughe3, and thehlvage Corps, under Captain Field, were ; Attendance, and in a few minutes three itdfe of hose were laid on and the danger of futher spread of the fire was at an end. AS.he fire was in the upper story the flow pftvater of course did an amount of damage, frthe lower portions of the building. The (fen's Head Hotel is owned by Mr Seccombe and was insured. The house is a two-storie one, builtof brick, with a slated roof, and £$ present licensee is aMr Purcell. Thß upper story was completely gutted, andj.be flames gushed forth in great volumeslrom the windows prior to the arrival of theßrigade. In this instance the % appears to have originated accidentally.HJfc appears that Mr Pureell and his wife jWe going out for a walk, as the niglit wasine. Ho sent a little nursegirl named Mallda Murphy into his bedroom upstairs foria necktie. The girl took two matches |ith her to use as a light whila getting! the tie. She says that she struck! the matches, and on leaving shut theiloor behind her. About half-an-hour aftenvirds Mr Purcell heard something -fall in Kfe bedroom, and on going upstairs he disdjvered that the room was one mass of flank As the fire had then gob a good holi ■ Mr Purcell at once gave the alarm in orW to get assistance. He thought that one)f the matches, when thrown down, was n| extinguished, and this started the fire. ?The damage is eshmafed ab several hulked pounds. The prompt action offtbe Salvage Oorps no doubt preventedjmuch greater damage from taking place. fMr Purcell recovered his cash-box, in whbh was LSO in notes, unharmed. It had tiien left In the bedroom. With regard h the insurances,!t appears that Mr Thomas Macky holds a policy for £250 on abortion of the furniDure, while Mr Purcels share of the furniture was uninsured. JE$ calculates to nave suffered to the extent ofeioo