BLAZE AT MANUREWA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 309, 31 December 1930, Page 7

BLAZE AT MANUREWA.

OLD LANDMARK DESTROYED.

« TEA KETTLE " TEAROOMS

DAMAGE ESTIMATED'AT £3000.

Damage,estimated at £3000 was done at Manurewa last night, when a fiveroomed house and a large tearoom, the "Tea Kettle," forming a landmark on the Great South Road, were destroyed by fire. A few pieces of furniture were saved by a bucket brigade which attacked the flames prior to the arrival of the Papatoetoe Fire Brigade, but valuable chinaware, rare hand-painted pictures, antiques and other appointments were lost.. The owner of the property, Mr. W. Frost, was returning home from the city by bus, in company with his wife, when the outbreak occurred.

The wall of an adjoining house, owned by Mr. A. Carter, was damaged by the heat, and, had it not; been for a hedge 10ft thick, the residence would also have been destroyed.

The alarm was raised by. Miv Carter when he reached his home at 10.15 o'clock, but Mr. Frost's property wae then blazing from end to end, and the firemen could do nothing to quell the flames. They, therefore, concentrated their efforts on saving Mr. Carter's residence.

The brigade were hampered in their efforts by the fact that there was. no water supply available. The tank in the fire engine had to be replenished with water from house tanks, and the brigade had to do their best wifcli a lia lead of hose. They did excellent work in the circumstances in confining the damage to the adjoining property to a few cracked windows and slightly burned boarding on one side. Mr. Carter and. Ms family had taken the precautionary measure of removing the furniture and contents from the room that was most in danger of catching fire.

All that now remains of the "Tea Kettle" is twisted iron and two brick chimneys. The Louse, the furniture and curios were separately insured with the Phoenix Insurance Company.