FATAL FIRE IN WORCESTER STREET.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 8125, 23 March 1887, Page 4 (Supplement)

FATAL FIRE IN WORCESTER STREET.

Athalf-past 5 o’clock on Tuesday morning,. a fire occurred on the premises of Mr Robert . M’Pherson, cordial manufacturer, situated at the corner of Worcester street and Cambridge terrace, whereby the proprietor lost • bis life,.and the huilding and plant were* totally destroyed. It appears that the. fire originated close to the engine used forhottlmg purposes, and it is surmised that a spark must hare caught, the woodwork of the building,' or that some inflammable mattermust have caught fire early in the afternoon when the engine was being used, and. having smouldered all night, become uncontrollable before it was seen. The alarm was promptly given, and the Extinguisher took up a station at Worcester street bridge, with the Deluge at Gloucester - street bridge, and the chemical engine in. Worcester street, close to the burningedifice. The building itself was a two-storied oneof wood, and had a long one-storied arm running along the Worcester street frontage The Worcester street part of the building was used, the ground floor as a factory and offices, the upper Eortion as a dwelling by the deceased and is family. The whole of the building is old, having been used at various times as an upholsterer’s shop and a boot factory. Part of the roofing was corrugated iron, part of shingles, and the construction being very dry, and the fire having gainedgreat headway before the arrival of the Brigade, there was no hope of saving the building. ? The fire originated; as before stated, close to the steam-engine used for bottling purposes. This engine was situated in the one-storied Worcester street part of the building. Although there was no wind -blowing at the time, the presence of chemicals and the tinder-like dryness of the building, causing it to burn fiercely, a telegraph pole in Worcester street, on the same side of the road as the fire, being very badly damaged by charring. There were threepersons who were sleeping in the huilding last night : Robert M’Pherson, the unfortunate man who lost his life; his son, a lad about fourteen years of age, and his daughter. It is said that M'Pherson could easily have escaped, but that fearing that his daughter was still in the burning building, he rushed back into the place, and becoming suffocated by the' dense smoke and the fumes of the chemicals, he became stupefied and fell at the top of the stairs, and was burned to death. His body was found in that position, and was badly charred. It was taken possession of by the police, and conveyed to the morgue at the Hospital. The Brigade, as usual, worked admirably, but it was fighting against hope, as the fire was uncontrollable from the very commencement. It lasted about an hour, and left nothing standing but a skeleton of the larger section of the building. There was the usual large crowd of spectators present. The Brigade succeeded in rescuing a small quantile of furniture which was taken across Cambridge terrace and deposited on the river bank. It appears that the deceased was supposed to he outside the building safe, but. after enquiries were made daring the fire, the fact was ascertained that the unfortunate man was within the burning building. Mrs M’Pherson, it is stated, was away on a visit to some friends on the Peninsula. It is rumoured that Mr Fherson’s life was insured for £4OO, but for the truth of this we cannot vouch. The following statements have been made:— Police-Sergeant O’Malley: At 5.30 heard the fire-bell, and on proceeding to the corner of Cambridge terrace and Worcester street fouad the premises occupied by Robert M’Pherson, cordial manuf^p^- - '. turer, on fire. The Brigade was proDjEpy on the spot. After working for abomran hour, one of the firemen, George King, discovered, the body of Robert M’Pherson. On proceeding upstairs he found the body lying in one of the front rooms, face downwards, the head pointing to the east. He took charge of the body, and removed it to the morgue at the Hospital. He took possession of the remnants of deceased’s clothes, which were lying under the body. In the pocket of the trousers he found 16s in silver and a bunch of keys. Mr Gapes, who lives at Cambridge terrace. Sergeant O'Connor, and several others identified the body as that of Robert M'Pherson. Walter M’Pherson, a son of the deceased, aged fourteen, states that he went to bed about 10 p.m. His father was not in bed then. This morning about 5.30 a.m., his father, who slept in the front room, came into his room and woke him, saying the house was on fire. He heard him go into his" sister’s room also, and awake her. The boy then ran down stairs, but could not get through, as the smoke was suffocating. He then retreated, and went through the window of the room, jumping to the ground. He thought his father was out j in fact, he thought he had seen him after this, but he now is sure his father never returned from his room after calling him. The daughter, Ellen M’Pherson, also states that she was called by her father; but at present she has not sufficientlyrecovered from the shock to her nervous system to be capable of giving a detailed account. James Robertson states he was employed as carter to the deceased. He closed the place up, securing and feeding the horses, yesterday evening. Witness left the place at 6.45 p.m., and went home. The steam engine on the premises was used for bottling during the previous day, but the fire was allowed to die out in the afternoon. There was no fire there when he left. John Owens, employed at the factory, says the engine was working yesterday. He left at 6 p.m., and noticed before he left that the fire was out. The building belongs to Mr Sewell, as trustee, Messrs Harman and Stevens beingthe agents. It was insured in the Northern Office for £SOO, The stock, plant, horses, &0., are insured by Messrs Kempthorne, Prosser and Co., as mortgagees, in theStandard Office for £BOO. Mrs M’Pherson was away from home, staying at a placenear Akarea.