SMELL OF KEROSENE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 69, 22 March 1928, Page 8

SMELL OF KEROSENE.

EMPTY HOUSE ON FIRE.

INQUIRY BY MAGISTRATE.

BUILDING HEAVILY INSURED.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

Allegations that a fire which broke out at Nos. 352 and 354 Tinakori Road in the early hours of the morning of February 9 was of a suspicious nature, were made in the Magistrate's Court, when an inquest was held, before Mr. E. Page, S.M., into the circumstances.

Chief Detective Ward conducted the proceedings for the police, Mr. VV. Perry appeared for the owner of the property, and Mr. W. Brown for the 1.0.A. Insurance Company. Evidence was given by Joseph Burn, who stated that at about 2.30 a.m. on February 0, he and a friend named Fitzgibbon were walking along Tinakori Road when they realised that there was a lire in the vicinity. By the time thfcy reached the house it was enveloped in smoke. An alarm was given by Fitzgibbon, and the occupants of the adjoining houses were aroused. There was no sigu of any people about the house or in the street. Much Smoke, Little Flame. Leslie Robert Hall, officer in charge of the Tliorndon Fire Brigade, stated that on arrival at the fire he noticed that there was very little flame but a great deal of smoke. A window broke and the flames burst through it. This informed the brigade of the locality of the fire, and within four minutes it was extinguished. The seat of the fire was in the kitchen. After the fire was put out an examination was made, for there was a strong smell of kerosene, and smoke upstairs. Witness found a heap of refuse. Boards had been pulled from a wall, and the refuse was lying about the floor. In a corner of the room above the shop a bottle smelling of kerosene was found, and in it was about an inch and a half of kerosene. There was no cork in the bottle. Witness came to the conclusion that the place was under fumigation, for the doors and windows were sealed. He explained to the police that he had smelt kerosene downstairs, and that he had found the bot t letups ta i rs. The windows were coveredk'-in such a manner that the fire could be burning for some time without anyone being able to see it from outside. They were covered with paper pasted on the linoleum and nailed on. Next morning a fireman was sent to find out about tho insurances, and to ascertain who was fumigating the place. The answer was that the house was not being fumigated and that the premises were unoccupied. Benzine Bottles Bought. Sergeant Hill said that on his arrival at the lire he went to the residence ot the owner, Berg, who stated that he had not been in the building since the previous Sunday. In the presence of the owner, witness examined the building, in which there was a strong smell ot Kerosene. The fire appeared to have started in a cupboard underneath the stairs. The cupboard was heavily iT yet there was paper? on tbb floor not burned, i»ff among ithis paper was a bottle, party filled with what witness thought was benzine. In a downstairs room a full bottle was tound standing in the middle of the room. It was uncorked, and contained about 2in of some inflammable liquid. In an upstairs room witness found in the middle of the floor a benzine tin and a bottle, empty, but smelling of kerosene. Ilie upstairs part of the house appeared to have beer, partly demolished. The scrim on the walls had been sliced and was hanging down. In the corner of one room was a piece of paper and a number of small sticks, and nearbv a board. The owner had said he cJuld not account for the state of affairs and had denied that the place had been set on fire. He could not give any details about a carpenter he alleged that he had employed.

To Chief Detective Ward: The walls had been cut in such a manner as to , low a fire to pass readily through the building. Bought for £1000; Insured for £1300. Arnold Berg, owner of the property, stated that he bought it some years a"o for about £1000, and in March, 19' M insured it for £1300 in the 1.0.A. Com' pany. The building had been unoccupied since January 20, 1928. When liewas last in the building he saw no cuts in the walls, and none on the scrim He had not the remotest idea who cut the walls. The only thing he could su~ gest was that people had got in through the windows. On Tuesday, February 7 a carpenter had asked him for work and he was sent to the Tinakori Road property to fix up the doors and windows. Witness did not seem him go into the Tinakori Road house and he did not see him again until next mflt-ning. Chief Detective Ward: Do you think the house was set on fire? Witness: Well, it couldn't burn oil it* own. I believe it was. Have you any idea who did it?—l woudn't like to eommit rovself. When the left he owed £34, and a previous tenant approximately £180. *~o this house was a losing nronosition to you ?—tl was nothing of the kind. Maria Berg, wife of the owner, said she had never been inside the house and could offer no suggestion concerning the cause of the fire. 0 The inquest was adjourned till Saturdav.