A NEAR THING

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 98, 23 October 1934, Page 8

A NEAR THING

FIRE AT. ORPHANAGE

OUT-BUILDING BURNT

When the boys at the Presbyterian Orphanage, Morton Street, Berhampore, awoke this morning they found that only a charred heap was left to show whero the boot-store and carpenter's workshop, adjoining the main building, had previusly stood. Tired as tho result of a picnic and tramp in Wilton's Bush yesterday, they slept undisturbed while the shed blazed merrily and firemen worked under difficulty to prevent tho flames spreading to tho main building, which was only threo feet away. It was only by chance "-hat the outbreak was noticed in time to prevent very serious damage. The manager of tho orphanago was returning home just before 10 o'clock when ho saw the flames through the trees, and the prompt responso to his call to tho Constable Street firo station enabled tho outbreak to be confined to the shed, which was too far gone to be saved by the timo the brigade arrived. The orphanage had been \"-f.t in charge of one of the staff, who had locked up about 9.30 p.m., after tho boys had retired for the night. EMERGENCY PLANr USED. The orphanago is situated in an area in which there aro no firo plugs, and consequently the brigadesmen had to uso the emergency reservoir, holding about 30 gallons, which is carried on the firo engine. A hose was operated with pumps from this supply, which was replenished with bucket, from the domestic water supply in the orphanage.

The shed, which was a corrugated iron structure about 20ft by Bft, was divided into two sections, in one of which, was the boot-repairing workroom and boot store, and in the other the carpenter* workshop. It was, insured for £100, half being carried by tho Presbyterian Church aud the other half by the South British Insurance Co. The contents wero not and officials at the orphanage were unable today to estimate tho extent of the loss in that connection. The cause of the fire is not known. ■ ■