BIG FIRE AT ASHBURTON.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13101, 28 April 1908, Page 7

BIG FIRE AT ASHBURTON.

An alarm of fire waa given at Ash-/ -burton at 3.25 yesterday morning, the* ', outbreak "being in Mrs 8. Ftueeir* boardinghouse, a two-aiorey wooden/ building situated in Havefook street,/ and' the adjoining brick - building, the lower portion of -was occupied by Mr Geo. Bandy, baker/? and confectioner, and the upper rooms v. %y:Mrs Fussell. The Fire Brigade-,, were smartly on tbe spot, and'quickly had the water playing on the burning/ ~ buildings, out the fire <liad obtained!" such. a. nold that from the outset there * was no possible'chanee of 'earing' premiws, or any of the contents.thai, <vras eared were a piano and a fair '-' j other articles from Mr t Bandy* * ptemiaes. Mrs.Fusßell loot everything«," that was in the house, and- she states - that she herself audi her family ~ iustT, managed to escape ia the lightest/or;,' apparel. The wooden bulJaittg wa* *, quickly reduced to ashes, and *aotbingU but'the hare walls of the bride •true*, ture was left. - ~ y . . *'/' .The fire found ite way through the' girvanised iron wall of Messrs rothers* corn and grain, store, ekosely ' adjacent to the brick building. *ana* considerably . damaged a quantity of chaff. , From the wooden building "tiie flames spread to an." adjoining *■ two-" storey brick building occupied- Jby Messrs.'Morris Brothers, , fishmongers,,. destroying the verandah,''- seriously l damaging the outer wall, asd-also doing some damage in one of the bed-* - rooms. The Misses Morris eventually had to break one of the back'window* ' and mako their exit by that means; *„ .The fire appears to have started near tho bath-room in the upstairs portion of tho brick building jointly occupied by Mr Bundy and Aire and fTiough the weather at the time- was • dead calm, tho flames spread with, astonishing rapidity. Showers " oJL; sparks snot straight up to a great * height, and the whole town, was brilliantly illuminated. The Fire Brigade ' stuck to their work manfully, and solely due to their efforts that Thomas's grain and corn store, Messrs Morris Brothers' shop and dwelling, Mr J. Baker's coach factory, and Mr F. Ferriman's offices were saved. The heat was intense, and it did some slight damage to the upper portion ofthe front of Mr Henry Stephenson's auction room. The buildings destroyed were immediately opposite those burnt down about six morrtis ago, and close to Mr R. Alcorn's premises, which; were deatnayed by fire some two months -back. This makes the sixth fire that has occurred in this particular part of the town, in a couple of years. -• t Messrs Thomas Brothers are insured' in the Sun office for £200, and they estimate the damage done at £50. Mr Bundy's furniture >t is insured in the National office. Messrs Morris Brothers are uninstrredj and £hey wiU .> lose considerably through the damage"" done by fire,, smoke, and water. Mrs Fussell lias an insurance of £76 onber furniture in the Norwich Union office/ and another £75 in the London *ndV Liverpool and Globe'office. The build.' mgs burned are owned by Mr-ISdwin 7 Thomas, and are insured- in ■inch Union the, first for £300;; Brothers for £200, while there v ir*a aatf insurance of £860 on the wwoWbuftP ing. do not cover the Tain* and 2»E?str< " * - i -",