MAIL TRAIN ON FIRE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1704, 22 March 1913, Page 5

MAIL TRAIN ON FIRE.

ON NAPIER LINE.

tUGGAGE & EFFECTS BURNT: '

(By TolezraDh.—Pross Association.) ' Dannevlrkc, March 20. / lhe uuusual occuiTonco of flro in a ■ hawse van took place this- afternoon on t io .north-bound Napier mail Twin, when mo train was a couplo of miles on tlio J-lannevirlio side of I'apatawa. The van was an auxiliary ~t the rear of tho train, ,' ' oll . ; ,,ctounl ; °* tlie holiday traffic, it wa j 'f! I W "'' l Visage,' motor cycles, bicycle* and general cffccte of principally consigned to Hastings, Na ,irr id Gisborne. The fire was fifst nS form ™ tllo RUar(l wos "1loimcil, the tram was then takon back to 1 apatawa, m tho hopo of being able to extinguish the outbreak. By the tinm that it got there, however,' it was red hot and it was impossible to approach tho doors,, while tho water supply proved inuntil tL (° I thc , refor °. blazed until tho contents irero reduced to cinders, and tho van gutted. Scvcrcl dog* u the attached box wero smothered by tho smoke, / How the fire occurred is difficult to say. l ns everything appeared Ktfe when tlio uggago was put in at Woodville shortly before. An estimate of tlio loss is impossible, as there is no list of the con-' cents, and the only way of arriving at any estimate is by the passengers' claims on tho Department, It is, however, undoubtedly heavy, as the, van was crammod, and everything was destroyed. A bride on the train reported that she lost all her wedding presents, wliilo another passenger had nearly ,E2O in einglo notes m a bag destroyed,. A number of passengers were proceeding to Napier to participate in the competitions lliere. ami many heavy losses of expensive clothing tire reported. , Tlio passengers were in a groat stale of excitement on arriving nt Dannevirko to find out libw they had fared by'the fire. Much of tho lustgago lost was cliecked, fortunately. The_ van destroyed was at tho rear of the train, otherwise more seriour oousennenees might have been involved. Tlio mails were in the van next to the engine, and wero consequently safe. Woodville, MarclrSO. ■ Tlio only thing saved' from tlio vafl was a bicycle belonging to f Chinaman,