FIRES.

Evening Star, Issue 11681, 13 February 1902, Page 6

FIRES.

Shortly before two o'clock this morning a nine-roomed dwelling-house owned and occupied by Mrs J. Magnus, and situated at the upper end of High street, Gaversham, was practically destroyed by fixe, a greater portion of the household effects meeting \srth a like fate. Mrs Magnus, whose bedroom was situated in the upstairs part of the building, was awrafaened by a stnefl as of something burning, and on opening the door to investigate the circumstances saw that a volume of snxoke was coming from a room downstairs. She at once Rbnt the door, woke the children, and removed them to a place of safety—a difficult task owing to the dense smoke. One of the chSdren was despatched to a neighbor, and within a few minutes of the alarm the C&versham Pire Brigade were on the spot. As tbe building was on a high level it was a hard matter to obtain a sufficient supply of water, otherwise the fixe might have been restricted to a smaller area. Tbe brigadesmen, however, worked with a wHi, and eventually beat down the flames, {hough not before most of the building bad been gutted, particakrrly on the western side. The neighbors lent willing aid to get tbe furniture out, bat only a piano and a few other effects were saved, and these are all more or less damaged Tbe fire originated in a room downstairs which was kept as a spare bedroom. In tbe bot weather it had been fite custom of Mrs Magnus to light the grate fire in this room instead of using tbe kitchen rangeYesterday a fire was kindled in this room, but before retiring to bed shortly after ten o'clock last night Mrs Magnus was careful to bank the fire and sweep up tbe embers. There was no bedding or dbthmg near the grate, and Mrs Magnus, who is unable to give an explanation of tbe outbreak, if positive that all proper precautions were taken to see tbat ' everything was safe. Mrs Mamrus purcbawd the baflding twelve months ago, and recen&y it was renovated throughout, the work having only just been completed. The building was insured in tbe Norwich Union Office for £SOO, and the furmrnre covered by a riftk of £4OO in the Standard Office.