MORNINGSIDE FIRE

Northern Advocate, 10 February 1928, Page 4

MORNINGSIDE FIRE

HOUSE TOTALLY DESTROYED,

For the third time within three months residents of Morningside have been startled by outbreaks of lire in their locality. Last evening at 9.20 the hillside was cast into fantastic relief by flames leaping from a sixroomed residence owned by Mt J. B. S. Richardson, of Hunt Street, Whangarei, and occupied by Mr A. J. Roycroft and family. The building was totally destroyed within half an hour from the time the lire took hold.

Mr Roycroft, who has been an invalid for a considerable period, suffered a relapse and Mrs Eoycroft was busily engaged attending to him, where he lay in bed on the verandah. She did not become aware that anything was amiss nntil the younger children, who were in bed, commenced screaming. Mr W. G. Eoycroft, a son, who is engaged in a carrying business, arrived home at this juncture with a neighbour, Mr Basil Jones, and the alarm was quickly given. By this time the flames had a good hold in the kitchen, where the outbreak occurred, and only a bed and a chair wore salvaged. When the Fire Brigade arrived the whole rear of the building was-a blazing inferno. Eight hundred feet of hose was run out, but owing to this great length and to the height of the building above the road level only one lead of hose could be put into play, and the pressure of water was extremely Avcak. From the outset the brigade’s task was a hopeless one. The furniture was protected by a policy for £2OO. The residence was also insured, but the amount is not ascertainable. Mr W, Eoycroft’s cart, was in proximity to the blazing house, but was quickly removed out of danger. I