FIRE IN BRONTE STREET.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 169, 27 July 1901, Page 2

FIRE IN BRONTE STREET.

AT MRS. MACKAY'S EESIDENCE

At 20 minutes to nine last evening the vigorous clanging of the bell at the Fire Brigade Station indicated that a fire had broken out in the town. The locality of the outbreak was at once shown, by a cloud of smoke and a bright glare, to be in the direction of Brook-street. It was at first thought by many who rushed towards the fire from the centre of the town that the fire was at the back of the Catholic Presbytery, or in a portion of the Convent buildings. It soon transpired, however, that the burning building was the residence of Mrs Mackay, situated on the terrace in Bronte-street, overlooking the Brook stream. The fire had evidently got a firm hold before the alarm was given, as when the. Brigade arrived on the scene the house was a mass of flames and past any hope of being saved.

Mrs Mackay and the members of the household (consisting of her sod, daughter, and noice), had gone out about b o'clock to attend the Tennis Club's ball in the Provincial Hall. The house was left in charge of the servant girl, who had a friend^ go in and keep her com - pany. The two girls state that they heard a noise in a back room, which was used as a bicycle and lumber room. 1 hinking it was caused by rats, no notice was taken for a lime, but a little later the continued noise led them to open the door of the room, which they found to be in flames. They gave the alarm to Mr Butler, the nearest neighbour, and soon several persons in the vicinity were on the spot. Ihe building was a very old one, and the fire, being fed with a gentle south-west breezt, burned very fiercely and rapidly. The front part of the house was, however, accessible for a few minutes, and those present busied themselves in forcing an entrance and saving some of the contents, which were carried out on to the grounds in the front and back of the house. Aq effort was made to get into the drawing-room to save the piano, bub the attempt to break open the door failed.

On the alarm being given the Brigade turned out promptly, and the members of the Wakatu Mounted Rifles, who were holding a dismounted parade in the Drill Shed, were ordered by Captain Trask to seize a hose reel, and go to the fire. This they did with no loss of time, and on reaching the scene they assisted in such salvage work as by that time remained to be done. On the water being turned on from the Bronte-street service the old difficulty of a weak and insufficient pressure was esperienecd. This was considered to be partly due to the small street pipe ; but after the valves had been closed in order to get the full pressure up Collingwood-street there was an improvement. As usually occurs, however, the tlmo when the water would have been of the most use had passed before the increased pressure was obtained. Owing to the time which elapsed before the alarm was given, the poor water pressure, and the age of the building, the Brigade were unable to save any portion of the house, which was soon a suiouldering heap of ruins.

As to the origin of the fire, nothing is known beyond that it started in the lumber room. There was no fire in this roo*n, and the only fire in the house when the family left home is said to have been in the dining room, and that was practically out. The dressing room, which adjoined the lumber room, had been used early in the evening, but everything appeared to be safe when the house was left about S o J clock. The family have been unfortunate in regard to fires. Some years ago they were burnt out in Trafalgar-street South, and the residence destroyed last night also had a narrow escape a few years ago, the fire which started in one of the rooms being put out by neighbours before it had time to get a hold. The houeo, which consisted of nine rooms, was insured in the National office for £SQO. The furni'.ure was insured in the same office for .£3OO, and there was a policy of ,£6O on the piano in the New Zealand office. The house was one of the earliest buildings in Nelson, and some residents state that they remember it about 50 years back. A portion of the building, however, was newer, additions having been made to the original structure.

Mrs Mackay estimates her loss at £200 or £'&QO over the insurances. Her loss included about .£}o worth of jewellry. Three bicycles were burned, including a new 1£25 machine, which had been in use only about a week.