FIRE AT KELBURNE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1020, 9 January 1911, Page 6

FIRE AT KELBURNE.

TWO DWELLINGS DESTROYED. NARROW ESCAPE OF OCCUPANTS. A fire occurred on the southern slopes of Kelburne last night, resulting in the total. destruction of two dwelling-houses. At 10.19 p.m. the Fire Brigade received the call to Adams' Terrace, and at tyat time a fierce glare in the sky! indicated plainly the situation of the outbreak. A high north-westerly gale was blowing, and had. the. houses been closer together in the vicinity .the result must have been more ser.ious, for the buildings wero high up on tho slope of the hill, and surrounded by dry, gorse and grass.. There is water in the vicinity, ami a fair pressure, but the position of the buildings ablaze could only bp attacked with one ■lead of hose. In these circumstances, it 'was fortunato that the block where the outbreak occurred contained only two buildings six feet apart, the other houses being distant 50ft.' or more. When the brigade got the-water playing on the flames, the first house, a. dwelling of four rooms and a wash-house, occupied by Henry Milsted, was practically destroyed, and 'the flames had a good hold of the second house, a dwelling of three rooms and'a wash-house, occupied by Charles Frederick Curtis, of the Wellington Cleaning Company. In a few moro minutes Mr. Milsted's residence was burnt clear to tho ground, and the flames shot out from overy corner of sfr. Curtis's place. A fairly large crowd of peoplo had • now collected .in , tho .street to watch the scene,' and" they stood under a continuous shower of sparks, blown -over them by the _■ gale. Despite tho best efforts of tho brigade, it was seen that there was no possible chance of saving the remaining building, but, on account of the gorse and scrub surrounding it, was' necessary to confino the flames to as small. an. area as possible. On one occasion tho gorse became well ablaze at the northern corner, and, as tho building was then tottering, tho fire-fighters had to run some risk from falling'timbers in order to get the water on to the gorse. Eventually, about 11.30 p.m., all danger'of tho flames spreading was at an end.

As far as can be gathered, the firo must have originated, in the kitchen of Mr. Milsted's house, but tho cause ' is unknown. The outbreak was discovered by Mr. Curtis, who went 'to bed at about half-past eight, and woke about 10.15 p.m. with the sound of crackling timber. Jumping hastily out of bed ho rushed to the door, and knocked up members of Milsted's household. They were all in bed, and having to make a hurried exit lost everything. Mr. Milsted. had time to slip on A suit of clothes, but two of tho boys got out. in night. clothes only. Thero was no insurance on tho furniture, so that Mr. Milsted, who is a , wharf labourer, will be a heavy loser, and besides he had a sum of money in the house, including a £5 note in tho pocket of his waistcoat, which he thinks was left in his room. Mr. Curtis's furniture was insured for .£IOO. The agents for the buildings are Mes:rs. Easson and Co. It is believed both houses were insured, but.particulars.could not bo ascertained last night.