THE NIGHT PORTER'S STATEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 128, 31 May 1901, Page 5

THE NIGHT PORTER'S STATEMENT.

Henry Jones, the riig-ht porter at the Grand Hotel, interviewed by a "Star" reporter, made the following- state-

ment: —

"1 was in the boot-house cleaning the boots shortly before one o'clock this morningl, and when I went out into the hall 1 saw smoke. Jt was not very Illicit in the hall, and there seemed to be. more on the first floor. I started singing' out 'Fire!' and then went nnd woke Mr Johnston. The. fire started to come up the corridor, and I could not get near No. 34 (Mr Craven), but, he (Mr Craven) ran through and got out. Mr Johnston called out, 'Oh, my God, my children!' and I thought he went upstairs to get them. I went after him through the smoke. There is no gas on the top floor and everything was in darkness. The smoke nearly choked me; it was just like a fog-. 1 tried to get round to the doors of the bedrooms to waken the housemaid and the barmaids, who slept on the top floor, but 1 couldn't get through the flame and smoke. Then I saw the names comingl after me up the bannisters, so 1 got down before the staircase should give way and my escape be cut oil". I thoug-ht Mr Johnston had gone after his three girls upstairs, but 1 found afterwards that lie was rescuing his wife and little boy, who were on the first floor. 1 ran down the stairs and out on to the road. Just as I got out the firebell started to ring, and five minutes later the place was a wreck. The flames spread like wild-fire. 1 went out to the front to look for ladders, and saw Mr Johnstpn and another man holding a blanket or something1 for the maids upstairs to jump into. The servants on the bottom floor got out at the back without much trouble, though the chief cook and pantry maid had lo be dragged out. We all lost everything-. The only things I saw saved were the safe and a couple of bamboo chairs. The house burned like a match. The fire seemed to start at the back of the house, on the left-hand side, but I have no idea how it started. There was no sign of fire when 1 went round for the boots at midnight."