FIRES.

Evening Star, Issue 13004, 26 December 1906, Page 4

FIRES.

OHE FATAL. CHRISTCHURCH, December 26. A fatal fire occurred here early yesterday morning, when Thomas Laidlaw, twenty-five years of age, lost his life. The fire broke out in an old dilapidated building used as a boarding-bouso. Though the brigade were quickly on the scene, they found it impossible to check the flames. Laidlaw was missing from the list of occupants who escaped, and was subsequently found lying- suffocated on a bed in a room where the fire had been the fiercest. A3 ho was found on a bed other than thai on which he slept, it is evident that he had tried to escape, but was overcome by smoke. The body and the clothing were not very badly burned. When the inquest was opened yesterday the coroner said thai the bottles and other things found in the house suggested that there had been a drunken spree duriujr, the evening. Ho exnreesed liimself strongly at allowing old, dilapidated buildings to stand in the city. Thero were rumors about unusual circumstances surrounding the fire, and the police desired to make further inquiries. The inquest was adjourned until Saturday. BLENHEIM, December 26. The Criterion Hotel was destroyed by a fire which commenced at 12.40 this morning. The boarders, twenty-two in number, escaped in their night clothes, several losing their personal effects. The licensee, Captain Falconer, lost his Christmas eve takings. £l5O in notes, which lie had taken to a bedroom. The insurances total £3,500 on the buildings (owned by Messrs Dwan Bros.), the Phoenix, Commercial, .South British, and other offices being about equally interested. There was £I,OOO on the furniture, but the offices are not known. The Criterion building was reerccted after the big fire in 1887.