FIRE IN LYTTELTON.

Evening Post, Volume III, Issue 285, 15 January 1868, Page 2

FIRE IN LYTTELTON.

A fire broke out about eleven o'clock on Sunday night in an unoccupied house, the property of Mr. J. Dransfiekl, at the corner of London and Winchester streets. - The fire was discovered by Constable Smith, who was on duty at the time. It appears that Smith saw a streak of light from the premises, and on proceeding to the spot, which he had passed a few minutes previously, discovered the interior of the building in flames. He immediately aroused Mr. Austin, whose house adjoined the burning premises, and gave the alarm to the inhabitants. A messenger was despatched to ring the fire-bell, and in the course of a few minutes a large number of persons were present, who went to work in good earnest and speedily extinguished the flames j not

iiowev&r, Tmtiljb' great portion of the shinfele^oi-lheroofwereburnedthrough, and phis' yalls 'of the building considerable da^fiigecfc?^ |A north-west wind -was b^vdingStttibhe/^ime, and it is almost ruiracttieiis"'that thejwhole block of buildings were not-£oc,«royed, possibly with great loss of life ks well as property. Fortunately, on-this o"cca'sion~a~plefisiful supply of water was obtainable, but had the fire occured in some other localities the whole of the surrounding -premises must have been destroyed. The engine, was not brought into use, but the wooferof the water thrown on to the 'fixe -witn buckets. There is reason to believe that the fire was the work of an incendinary, as on entering the building it was' discovered that a number of straw* ,'en.velop's used by bottles, oily, rags, and some portion of the paper hangings, had been packed together, apparently ' with the yiew. of .setting fire to the premises. IWe trust that the offender in this case ;may be discovered and niee|fc r ~witfapihis just reward. — Times. f '' ; .' ' ..V* ' -'