FATAL FIRES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXV, Issue 7863, 19 May 1886, Page 2

FATAL FIRES.

AUCKLAND, Mat 14, ■ At four o’clock this morning a fire brolfl out in a large three-storey boarding boon in Queen street, kept by Harry Borsboonfl The walls of the bouse are of brick, but afl the partitions are of wood. When the fifl was discovered, it had obtained a stroifl bold of the lower portion of the buildinfl Borsboom showed great care in directinfl bis employees to save the boarders,- bifl seven, who were unacquainted with tlfl premises, jumped from the third floor, 30fl from the ground. One of them, name ml known, died after being conveyed to tlfl Hospital. Edward Neil, John Frosdwicfl Thomas Orr, Hugh H’Laucblin, aifl Alfred Finch were all taken to the Hospitzfl seriously injured. Mrs Borsboom threw Ixfl baby out of a window into the armsjfl Constable M r Oovern, who caught it. 'OH mother then crawled along the parapet an adjoining shop, and was rescued H means of a ladder. In 1884, when the building was altered from a store into a bouse. Superintendent Hughes the Municipal authorities that the was not suitable for the purpose through inadequacy of escape in fire. No notice was taken of the The building was a perfect trap, and who are acquainted with the building with its construction, predicted great of life in case of fire. It is a fact in connection with the fire familiar as the wife of the proprietor with the building, and though the second storey, she was just on point of jumping out of a window, with risk of being crippled, when a policeman interposed and brought a Mat ISH AH injured by the late fire are weU, except Frostwick and Neil, who still low, and doubts are their recovery. A quantity of matter, four pounds in weight, has ,found in the ruins of the fire, and to be the remains of a human body of the old man is stiU unidentul^^^H DUNEDIN, Mat 14.71 M. GUl’s flour mill at Milton was totaifl destroyed by fire last night. The ,fiifl started on the ground floor, peafl the engine shed, and when discoverefl might have been quenched if a goofl supply of water had been obtainablfl The insurances ascertainable at prfl sent are £IOOO in the London anfl Liverpool and Gloho, and £6OOO in thfl Union. Several policies were aHowed ifl lapse recently. The insurances barelfl cover the loss on the grain and flour in tlfl mill, which was packed from floor ifl ceiling. DUNEDIN, Mat 16.1 A fatal 4re took place on Saturday nigbfl in a three-roomed wooden house at Monfl mgton. Mrs Stokes, wife of a labourefl had put her five children to bed. Tbfl eldest (Edward, 11) and second youngefl (Jane) slept in her own room, and she leH a lamp burning on the chest of draweiH there. The other two (Albert, 9, anH Amy, 6$ years) were in the next hedroonH while a baby was in a cradle in the Mrs Stokes was in the kitchen waiting return of her husband from town, when heard an explosion, and, on looking, fonnH her bedroom in a blaze. She called out iH the eldest boy, who caught up his littH sister sleeping with him, and they macH their escape, but Mrs Stokes, instead snatching the baby from the cradle,- raH out for assistance. The boy managed to escape, but his sister who was in the same room, became fused, and appears to have gone .into tbH room where the fire' started. AH to reach the two children after the alariH was given proved unavaUing, and theiH bodies were afterwards discovered verH much charred. The house was owned bH Mr Muir, and the furniture was insureß for £SO. . ■ INYEECAKGILL, Mat 17. I The Junction Hotel was destroyed hH fire at four o’clock this morning. ThH building was insured for £550 in the Zealand Office, and £250 in the the contents for £250 in the Victoria. .