A CHRISTMAS DAY FIRE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 28 December 1926, Page 5

A CHRISTMAS DAY FIRE

WAIMEA ROAD DWELLING DESTROYED

OCCUPANTS OUT FOR CHRISTMAS

DINNER

To leave'their home to partake of Christmas dinner' elsewhere and to be called back within three quarters of an hour to find their home a mass of flames was the unfortunate experience of Mr and Airs Henry Shirtcjiff of Waimea Up ad, near Bishopdale on Christmas Day. - . . . When A[r and Mrs Shirtcliff left the house everything was apparently secure but it is thought the outbreak occurred through a defect in the kitchen chimney. About noon one of Mr Galey’s, children, living nearby, saw smoke issuing from the house and the alarm was immediately given. The fire brigade was quickly on the scene, but:the building was well alight throughout the. interior ■ and nothing could be done to save it. Early arrivals on the scene managed to dear the contents from two rooms,' (but" they' were unable to proceed further owing to dense smoke, which was quickly followed by flames. There was no insurance on the dwelling'or furniture and Mr and 'Airs Shirtcliff are heavy losers. ' '

OUTBREAK AT FERTILISER ■ WORKS (United Press Association.)

, CHRISTCHURCH, 27th Dec. The fertiliser-mixing shed at the Islington freezing works .was destroyed by fire at 10 o’clock yesterday morning, and hundreds of tons of fertiliser, in the course of preparation and mixed, were damaged. The Islington works brigade made a good saye, and had the fire well under control by the time the engine from the city station arrived. The fertiliser mixture is subject to spontaneous. combustion, and it is thought that this was the cause of the fire.

'FIFTEEN PREMISES DESTROYED

SYDNEY, 26th Dec.

A fire at Kyogle destroyed a block of fifteen business premises. A volunteer fire brigade, owing to shortage of water, was unable to cope with the outbreak till it cut off the spread by destroying r.n intervening building. The damage is estimated in the vicinity of £IOO,OOO.