HOME DESTROYED BY FIRE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28921, 15 June 1959, Page 13

HOME DESTROYED BY FIRE

Tai Tapu Family’s Loss Four tall brick chimneys surrounded by bent and twisted iron roofing were all that remained when fire destroyed Mr N. J Bain's homestead at Gilmours road. Tai Tapu. on Friday afternoon. *

Mrs Bain and two children escaped without injury. Mr Bain suffered superficial burns which did not necessitate hospital treatment.

Enclosed by a 10-foot high macrocarpa hedge, the single storey wooden homestead (about 40 to 50 years old) covering approximately 2000 square feet, was destroyed within 50 minutes of the fire breaking out in the kitchen at 1.15 p.m. The flames spread so rapidly that Mr Bain’s trousers caught alight. After getting the family outside the burning building he jumped into his car and raced half a mile down the road to a neighbour’s house and called the volunteer fire brigade at Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln.

The brigade arrived shortly afterwards, but was too late to save the homestead. The nearby outbuildings were saved. The Bains, a young couple in their twenties, had only taken over the dairy- farm a year previously.

Neighbours, Mr and Mrs R. D Minson, have accommodated Mr and Mrs Bain and their five-months-old baby during the week-end. The three-year-old daughter. Christine, is being cared for by Mrs Bain’s mother in Christchurch.

Neighbours have already rallied round and yesterday one of them brought a caravan to the site for the Bains to live in. Others have lined the concrete floor of the garage. When electric’ power is laid on today the family will live in the garage. On Wednesday evening, a meeting of residents will be held in the Tai Tapu hall to make further plans and discuss ways and means by which the couple can be assisted.