HOUSE AND SHEDS DESTROYED

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27873, 23 January 1956, Page 10

HOUSE AND SHEDS DESTROYED

GRASS FIRE AT HAREWOOD

An unoccupied house, two sheds, and three acres of grass and crops were destroyed by a fire which broke out at the corner of Woolridges and Wairakei roads, Harewood, about 2 p.m. yesterday, firefighters from other fires around Christchurch, all the firefighting equipment available to the Waimairi County Council, residents. and farmers in the district fought the blaze. The fire, which is believed to have started in a gorse and broom fence at the corner of the two roads, quickly moved into a small plantation of pine trees owned by the Waimairi County Council. A heavy pall of dark smoke rose into the air. and firemen could not get very near because of the intense heat. A small house at the back of the plantation, owned by Miss Anne Dora Grant, of Kingsley street, was destroyed. The house was unoccupied. The fire moved north towards Harewood road, but firefighters managed to contain it before it reached three large haystacks standing in the middle of a large paddock of tinder-dry grass. Water leads were taken from the shingle pit of Ashby Brothers, and firemen concentrated on saving a large house occupied by Mr B. A. Murray. The house was almost ringed by fire, but cultivated land near the house stopped the flames short of the building. Three sheds on Mr Murray's property were destroyed, and agricultural implements in them damaged. By 4 p.m. the fire was under control, but Waimairi County Council employees were still busy extinguishing isolated patches of fire. The Waimairi County engineer (Mr D. P. McClelland) directed the operations of his men, and arranged for a threeman watch to be kept last evening. It is expected that it will take some time before the roots of trees in the plantation are extinguished. “When I heard the fire rushing through the pine trees, I knew there was nothing I could do.” said Mr Murray last evening. “If it had not been for the work of the voluntary firefighters my house and property must have been destroyed.” Mr Murray also paid tribute to the work of farmers’ wives in the district who had served refreshments to the firefighters. Two small fields of pumpkins and marrows were affected by the fire, but were regarded by firefighters as the main thing which saved Mr Murray’s house. A potato digger and other agricultural implements were damaged.