DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT NAPIER.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IV, Issue 139, 29 May 1914, Page 6

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT NAPIER.

B<>ARI >IN< • HOV SE DESTROY ED OCCUPANTS NARROW ESCAPE. A tv.o-sG>ieved wooden building in Cameron road. Namin’ known as Cfatworthv’s boardinghouse. A',* I*’ 1 *’ totally destroyed by fire last night. The outbreak was first noticed about 11.4 a. and appears to hate started on the ground floor, souiewhere in the vicinity or the kitchen. A few minutes after the Hie noticed the whole building became ENVELOPED IN FLAMES. and considerable anxiety was felt for the safety of the boarders, many of whom had nan uw escapes. The Napier and Spit hue brigades turned out promptly. but on their arrival it was seen that uotiiihv could be dune to save the building, and the men directed their efforts towards preventing the flames spreading to other houses tn the vicinity. bortunate.y T * l f‘ e waa hardly a breath of air at the tin>eg T snd the rfames and burning debris went straight up in a huge eolumn that could be

SEEN FOR MILES AROUND,

presenting a magnificent spectacle. All the town was illuminated by t.ie glare, and a large cloud of smoke which hung »>vtr the fire gave people at a distance the impression that a volcano had made its appearance on the Napier hill;. Lor miles out to sea the water was reddened bv the glare. In the immediate vicinity of the fire the heat was intense. Sparks from the burning building leapt several hundred feet into the air. and red hot sheets of galvanised iron w< re thrown up to an enormous height, just as if they were pir-ers <*f tissue paper. v ery LITTLE WATER WAS AVAILABLE and what there was made piacticrdly no impression on the hrt-. lhe building burnt fiercely for about three-quarters of an hour, and hun- * dreds of residents turned out to see it. Owing to the lateness of the hour all the BOARDERS WERE ASLEEP when the outbreak occurred, yet so far as can be ascertained all the occupants escaped from the burning building. Some were compelled to jump from windows, other made, a hasty exit by means of the fire escapes. ... . Captain and Mrs. Cardale, whose room was on the first floor, escaped with difficulty, Captain Cardie first lowering his wife to the ground with a rope formed of two sheets tied together, and then climbing down himself. Mr. G. S. Bates was one of the first to escape, which he did by climbing over the balcony None of those in the building appear to have suffered any serious injury, though several of the ladies naturally received a severe shock, and one of two sustained slight bruises and sprains. Mr. Ogelthcrpe. who slept in a detached building at cue side of the main structure, was the only one to save any personal effects. The following were known to have been in the house at the time of the fire:—Mrs. Clatworthy (proprietress), and her two beys. Mesdarnes Smith, senr.. Smith, junr.. Captain and Airs. Cardale. Misses Steel (2), Thoma:, and King. .Messrs G. S. Bates, A. AL Johnson, h. Ogelthorpe. atid three maids. There is some doubt at present as to who were actually in the house at the time of the fire, but there is nothing in the smouldering debris to indicate that any lives have been

lost. ~ . . With one exception ail the hoarders had to make a hurried exit m t-heir night attire, and their loss is therefore very considerable. ADJOINING properties. The residences ci Messrs. G. M. ' Morris and P. W. Peters, on either side of the fire, were scorched and otherwise damaged by water, etc., but the efforts of the firemen were so successful that the actual damage done to adjoining properties was not extensive. At one time it denied doubtful whether Mr Morris house could be saved, as it commenced to smoke on the side nearest the hre. and the fire-fighters work was extremely difficult owing to the enormous heat.

INSURANCES

The buiiuing and its contents, owned by Mrs were insured in the Yorkshire office fot £1590 —building £los<’. contents £540.

LATER DETAILS

The debris is still smouldering, and of the whole building only the two brick chimneys remain standing. A few of the boarders saved some of their most treasured belongings. Fortunately the neighbours have risen to the occasion and in aauition to housing the unfortunates, they have, in many instances, pro vxded them with clothes. Miss Steele, one of the boarders, who had to jump from a winm w. broke a bone in her wrist, and in jured her ankle. Almost all the buildings m tne immediate vicinitj- bear evidence ct the intense heat from the fire. Dr. Johnson rendered valuable a.d last night by attending to these who received minor injuries. An electric light cable was melted by the heat. No estimate of the damage caused bv the fire is vet available, though it is said to be well over £2OOll.

FIRE AT A HOMESTEAD KITCHEN.

An outbreak of fire occurred >e?>terdav afternoon m the outside kitchen at Mr. C ampbell s property. Waimana, several miles horn the, Waiohiki golf links Mrs. Campbell, and her daughter left the house to eo to the milking shetl and about fifteen minutes afterwards noticed flames arising from the direction <>t the kitchen. On getting back they found the place completely envelop ed in flames. Efforts were directed towards saving the mam bunding which is about 15 feet from 11’' kitchen. This they succeeded in snv ing by means of buckets of wctei from the well. The kitchen was in sured for £75 and the contents £25 in the Yorkshire office. lae main building, which was only slightly damaged, was insured in the State office and the contents in the Yorkshire office.