HUTT VALLEY FIRES

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 64, 17 March 1931, Page 11

HUTT VALLEY FIRES

TWO AT NORMANDALEI

Two fires quite unconnected-with each other <*ccurred .at Normandalei Lower Hutt, one'l'ast eveniiife. andtlie other: this morning. .The^firsfc- tobk^pjace^at; p. 111., and -was in "an unoccupied- Mimeroomed house near :the Nbrmandale School. The home was . purchased" about _d fortnight ago from Mr. Evans,- of Railway avenue, Lower Hutt, by Mr. A. Daniel, a builder of Lower Hntfc. Mr Daniel had been having the house clearedj and it is surmised that the fire was caused, by emoulderiug rubbish. The insurance has not yet been ascertained: . ' ' ' • The second fire, which occurred at 6 a m to-day, totally destroyed the.six-room-ed residence of3rr. E. Shearer lower down the hill. Mr. Shearer and-his family lost practically everything they p.ossessed/; escaping with little' more than -the night; attire they 'were wearing. The house :was insured'for £850, and there was a small cover.on the furniture. Mr. Shearer will be a ieavy loser. ..,.-,.' . .• '.'-_.' '■-.' ■■■ Tlie eastern hills of Lower BMtt were brilliantly lighted;, up to a late hour last night by a big fire which burned out many acres of gorsi?, fern/and manuka. -