FORTY-ACRE FIRE NEAR CHRISTCHURCH DESTROYS HOUSE

Grey River Argus, 24 February 1949, Page 4

FORTY-ACRE FIRE NEAR CHRISTCHURCH DESTROYS HOUSE

P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb 23. An old s x-roomed unoccupied house in Springs Road, Prebbleton, owned by St. Saviour's Orphanage, was destroyed by fire to-day. The fire was one that had spread over 40 acres of grass and stubble paddocks in. the late afternoon.

A stable granary, containing three tons of hay and three acres of clovei’ ready for harvesting, all on the neighbouring property of Mr A. J. Earnshaw, were burnt. Earnshaw’s house was, menaced, and at one time there was fire on three sides of it.

The lire is thought to have started near the Little River railway line, south of Junction Road crossing, several hundred yards above the houses cn Springs Road. It spread quickly, fanned by a strong northwest wind.

The fire was seen first by Mr Earnshaw about 5.20 p.m. He said that the flames at that time were 30 feet high and that “Highland Fling could not have beaten them.”

The fire swept quickly down to the house owned by the orphanage, and round Earnshaw’s house, which was protected b v a green macrocarpa hedge. It jumped the Springs Road and burnt about 20 acres»of stubble paddock and about 20 tons of baled straw on the farm of Mr D. Warren on the other side of the road before it was brought under control by firefighting units of the Christchurch Fire Brigade and Hornby Volunteer Fire Brigade. They were assisted by two crash tenders and 30 airmen from the Air Force station at Wigram. The fire was under control by 6.30 p.m. A bouse adjoining Mr Earnshaw’s property was not. in the direct path of the fire, but Mr J. Burrows, the owner, said he thought it would have been destroyed had it not been for a small paddock of potatoes.