THE FIRE AT CRAIG'S STABLES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2479, 4 June 1915, Page 9

THE FIRE AT CRAIG'S STABLES

<1 I PROBABLY DUE TO IXCENDIAR- ! ISM. :By Totcjrro-üb.—l'rere Association.) j Auckland, June 2. j Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.AI., gave his verdict this afternoon upon tlie result of • his investigations into the circumstances surrounding the disastrous lire , which destroyed Craig's stabies at Par- , nell and 200 horses 011 the night of April U2. After discussing the various , theories to account for the origin of tho lire, tho Coroner said that the only other explanation is that the building was set oa fire by incendiary means, it would be a simple matter to pour a quantity of kerosene over some of the 1 bales of compressed straw, which would absorb a considerable quantity of liquid , and would on ignition give a steady and continuous blaze of great heat. It would, too, produce a great quantity of extremely inflammable vapour, and once the fire broke through the floor this vapour would account for the sudden outbreak and the quick and complete destruction of the main building, without l'clyins 011 the contents to bring about the result. The bales saturated would act as a huge wick, and would not necessarily be themselves consumed, and the fact that the bales were not consumed, notwithstanding what must have been in the basement, is a very noticeable feature. However, the Coroner said. the evidence did not justify a verdict of incendiarism. It was evidence of a purely negative character, the elimination of apparently all possible theories of accident leaving a strong suspicion that the lire was not ncoidentaj. The finding was that the evidence was insufficient to show the cause and origin of the fire, though it appeared probable it was due to incendiarism on the part of some person or persons unknown.