SLEPT WHILE FLAMES CREPT YET CLOSER

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2308, 28 November 1925, Page 9

SLEPT WHILE FLAMES CREPT YET CLOSER

Family Escapes in . Nick of Tim? MOTHER FIGHTS WAY THROUGH SACK WAlity Residents of Harlaton - Mount Albert, Auckland, were await* ened shortly after ■ two o'clock on Thursday morning by a fire in a threeroomed cottage owned by Mr. Joseph Davis, says the ‘‘Herald.” Those who arrived on the scene found Mrs. Davi* fighting her way through sacking IB the front portion of the building to escape the flames which had already enveloped the rear portion, where th*." only door was located. At the time of the outbreak the cot* tage was occupied by Mrs. Davis anjjL 1 eight children, the eldest of whom Is aged about 14. Mr. Davis is a quarry*, man, and was staying at his work nea* j Penrose. .■ A remarkable escape was made by. the occupants. The smoke awakened', one of the children who, not knowi£&t anything was the matter, was never* 1 tholess affected by the dense atmosphere and went to a small back to get a drink from a tap. All thil, time the flames were gaining a hold\ in the room next to that in which ths’. child was drinking. A few minutes later Mrs. Davis was; aroused by the noise. It was wm'tl time before she realised the position,; and by the time the children were ail] awakened the fire was eating Its.way/ to where the family had congregated,. Escape by the door was Impossibly as the/flames barred that exit. Th«. front wall was fortunately only an provised one, made with sacking, ans Mrs. Davis set to work to tear thtaj down. A hole large enough to allow, a passage had just been made when'; the roof commenced to give way,; and Mrs. Davis and the children hadi just only rushed into the yoad in. their night attire when the building.' virtually collapsed. Nothing was saved; except a few blankets, which served’ to keep the children warm. Soma; neighbours took, the refugees in, and, accommodated them for the rest oAi the night. The origin of the fire remains B-j mystery. There was no electric light or gas in the cottage, and candles only were used for lighting. There was, however, a stove where, it Is thought, the fire may have started. The destruction of the little npuafl! deprives the family of a home, whlcH. Mr. Davis had endeavoured to build over a period of years. He first erected a tent on the site, and gradpally built foundations. At the time of. the fire the cottage was almost completed, although sacking still served 1 as the greater part of the wall. Fur--ther foundations had recently been put' In at one side and it was Intended t» extend the premises at an early date. No alarm was received by the Mount Albert Fire Brigade, although a box !• situated a short distance away. Neighbours who arrived on the scene de-i dared that an alarm would hav«f proved useless when the fire was dia-. covered, as within 15 minutes the i place was razed to the ground. When; the ruins were examined by the Mount: Albert police yesterday the tap at th* rear was still running. It is understood the building wan insured for £4OO, although the contents were not covered.