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Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1938, Page 3

A six-roomed house, owned by the Brunner Sawmill Company Ltd., and ' occupied by. Mr John Kennedy was I completely destroyed by fire at Ru Ru on Friday evening. The only occui pants of the dwelling l at the time were Mr Kennedy and his grandson Cyril 1 Hyne. Smoko was detected issuing: from an unoccupied room and 1 an alarm, was sounded on the mill whistle. Every worker employted in the--'two mills as.; well as other "residents were quickly on the scene but the fire J had too strong a hold*to attempt- to> save', the? building, so it was" decided to remove the furniture arid although the structure was soon completely enveloped in flame, practically the " whole of the; contents had been removed to a place" 1 of safety with scarcely a breakage or mishap of any kind. As tlie house was j situated within a few yards of the mill tramline it is sunhised that the out-" break was due to f a spark from a locomotive becoming lodged somewhere near the roof. It is thought that the , building was uninsured, ...