FIRE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2634, 15 September 1882, Page 3

FIR E.

A fire broke ont about nine o’clock last night in a cottage situated in the Sydenham end of Manchester street, occupied by Mr O’Donnell and family. Tho flames speedily communicated to two dwelling* situated on the north side, the first of which, a house of two stories in height, was tenanted by a person named Jerome, the other being occupied by Mr Ohegwin and Mr Michael Hart. The fire was occasioned by a kerosene lamp being upset in O’Donnell's cottage, and so rapidly did the flames spread that it was with diffi oulty a sewing machine was got out of the burning house; this was the only article saved. In tho meantime the occupants of the other houses were busily employed in removing their furniture, in which they were successful. Owing to the absence of water there wos no means of keeping the flames in check, which consequently ignited the second house and the third successively, the progress being accelerated by a slight breeze from the south-west. The heat at this time was very intense, and a row of cottages to tho eastward of t- o burning buildings were in jeopardy, but the occupiers and neighbors worked well with what little water could be obtained to prevent them catching fire, and were successful, although, as the fire was repeatedly blown upon them, the task was a difficult one. The band engine and one of the large steam fire engines were brought on the spot as soon as possible, but, as no water could be obtained, the members of the fire brigade who mustered in fores had to stand idly by, although some of them did good service in protecting the surrounding dwellings. The result is that three houses are totally destroyed. As far as can be ascertained, O'Donnell’s cottage it insured by the Permanent Building Society in the Victoria Insurance Office; the second house is said to be insured, but the office could not be ascertained ; whilst it is stated that the house occupied by Mrs Ohegwin is insured in the effioe already earned for £2OO. The chemical fire engine was also taken to the locale of tho fire, but its ser rices were not called into requisition. The only farther particulars to hand this morning are that O’Donnell’s cottage was insured in the New Zealand office for £100; that the fire originated whilst one of the children, named Beatrice O’Donnell, was making one of the beds, and overthrew the kerosene lamp by tho bed clothes ciming into contact with it; that the house occupied by Mrs Jerome was owned by W. Orabtree and was insured by the No. 3 Building Society for £300; that tho house occupied by Mrs Ohegwin and Mr Hart and family was insured ia the Northern for £IOO j and that Mrs Ohegwin estimates her loss at £2OO, Orabtree at £250, and the O’Donnells at £SO.