DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5491, 23 June 1879, Page 3

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

»' ' • •-- •• ! FIRE AND LOSS 08 , LIFE AT ONEHUNGA. . A vert destructive fire, which, we regret to add, wag attended with lose of life, occurred at Onehunga at an early hour on th? 7th June, resulting in the total destruction of the Manukau Hotel, near the wharf, and «large two-story house adjoining, as well as a very large amount of other property. The premises destroyed were situated close to the wharf. The hotel in which the fire broke out was occupied by Captain Cunningham, formerly of the Newmarket Hotel, and was owned by Messns. Whitson and Son. It contained seven rooms on the ground floor, besides the bar, and 18 rooms upstairs. Mr. Cunningham has been in occupation for about 12 moDths. Amongst those who lodged in tho hotel on Friday night -were Sub-Inspector Newall and fourteen members of tho Armed Constabulary force, the remainder of the detachment of Armed Constabulary men, en route from Waikato to Taranaki, being lodged in Mr. Barr'a boarding-house, close to the hotel. There was also a commercial gentletnan named Mr. Johns, aud another lod er besides Mr. Cunningham and his family' Mr. Cunningham states that he retired for the night at a quarter to 1 ■oclock, having first, in accordance with his invariable custom, seen that ail the lights in the house were extinguished, and that the fires were all safe. He went through all the corridors aud passages to see that there were no lights in the bedrooms. Being perfectly satisfied on this head, he went to bed. The kitchen of the establishment was situated at the western end of the building, and a number of bed rooms, in which the A.C. were quartered, were at the same end of the budding upstairs! Aβ nearly as can be ascertained, the tire was first discovered by a servant-girl in the €3tablishnient at about a quarter to two o'clock. It had then hold of the western end of tho building, and she informed Mr. Cunningham's son of the fact. Mr. Johns, who was awiki at the time, observed the glare at the tame momeot, *nd Sub-Inspector Newall aud his mm were speedily aroused. The apartments occupied by Captain Cunningham and his family were in the eastern end of the hotel, and by the time they were aroused the bed-rooms at the other end were in flames, and the tire had caught the roof. It was evident there were no hopes of saving the builjing, but the police and others assisted in getti-ig the children out, and endeavouring to save some of the furniture. Some of the children were brought down the back stairs, and some down the front stairs, but tho fire spread with such fearful rapidity in the upper part of the hotel that beiore Mrs. Cunningham could be got out her exit by either staiis was ent off. Fortunately she was led oa to the balcony, and a ladder beini; procured, she was got safely to the ground by Captain Cunningham, with the assistance rendered by others who were on the spot. The captain and crew ef the steamers Go-Ahead and Hannah Mokau, which were lying some distance from the wharf, who ob.-erved the fire, came ashore to render what assistance was possible, and by this time the residents commenced to congre£ati. The whole building was by this time a mass of flames. When Sergeant Greene came on the spot, having his attention attracted by the light, the whole roof was in a blaze, and the heat was intense, but a number of those present continued a little longer in taking things out of the bar and lower rooms ; but very little of value was saved, and the Constabulary aud others then directed their efforts towards saving the furniture of Mr. Barr's boarding-house, a two-atory buildina, containing fourteen roams. It was apparent that it would be impossible to sate the house itaelf, for it was ODly separated from the western ecd of the hotel by a narrow passage, and by this time it had caught fire. TheSames spread so quickly that a lar t e portion of the contents were destroyed in the lire, and in the confusion a considerable number of the articles which were got out were damaged. The roof of the building quickly caught the flames, and both buildings blazed furiously. Just when the fire was at its greatest strength there occurred a tremendous explosion at the back, as if two large cannons had been simultaneously discharged, and missilee of all descriptions were thrown in a seaward or southern direction. One of tho3e, apparcat'y a brick from a shattered chimney, passed in dangerous proximity to the heads of Sergeant Greene and Mr O'Brierj, who were ttanding on the opposite side of the road, and another in going past Miss Cunningham struck her with such force on the shoulder as to cause her to spin round and fall to the ground. Just when she dropped she observed a man on the ground immediately behind her. This proved to be Thomas Reece, a boiler-maker, who had been engaged repairing the boiler of the Hannah Mokau. He had come ashore with the others, and was then en the- opposite side of the road, watching the progress of the flames, and he was evidently struck by the same missile which knocked Miss Cunningham down. Mr. Richard 8. Burgess at once went to pick Reece up with the assistance of one of tbe A.C. men (Constable Dunn), and to their surprise and horror they found him lying insensible, with his head shattered and his brains protiudiog. At thie p.-iiod the whole of the efforts of the Constabulary and others were being directed to saving Mr. Vause'e two-ttory shop and dwelling, and Mr. Mclntyre'e machiue-shop and shipping smith's premises. These aro on the southern side of the road, and were in imminent danger, for the heat was terrific, but fortunately there was a plentiful supply of water, and a chain of buckets was formed, by means o£ which the houses were kept drenched, and tioally saved, thanks to the untiring energy displayed. Mr. Newall and his men ltnc willing and prompt assistance, and did not relax their efforts until the premises were out of danger. They were thus engaged when the explosion took place. Sergt. Greene was then informed of the accident to Mr. Keece, who by this time had been removed to a place of com. parative safety, and placed on a couch. He waa quite iniensible, and bleeding profusely from the wound on his head. Young Mr. Cleghorn, who was present on horseback, •went, at the request of Sergeant Greene, for Dr. Scott, to his lodging 3 at Mr'. Norman's, about a mile from the scene of the fire. The doctor accompanied the meesenger, and examined the injuries which Mr. Keece had received. He at once pronounced them dangerous, and said that recovery wan hopeless ; and, as it wae known Mr. Reece belonged to Auckland, it "was considered advisable to send him to the hospital, where he could be more carefully attended to. Mr. Mclvor's express was procured to convey him, and Mr. Cunningham, jun., accompanied him and attended him on the way, and up to the time of hie death, which occurred about 20 minutes after be was admitted. We regret to add that Mr. Cnnningham, who had a large amount of stock and furniture, valued at about £2000, was totally uninsured, and the loss will fall vtry heavily on him. Neither bis wife's nor children's clothes were saved, and the whole family were sent in to Mr. Jenkins'e drapery store at Newmarket as speedily as possible to get some clothing. Mr. Cunningham sneceeded Mr. Hardington as lessee of the Manukau Hotel about twelve months ago. The hotel itself was the property of thi firm of Messrs. Whiteon and Sons, and was insured in the South British Insurance office for £1700. of which we understand £700 was re-in3ured in the Trans-Atlantiu office. The house occupied by Mr. Barr was owned by Mrs. Williamson, and was insured in the Royal Insurance office for £300, Mr. Barr havine an insurance of £200 on his etoek and furniture in the New Zealand office. The accident to Mr. Tteece created a very painful feeling in tbe eettlemeut as well as in town, where be wa« well known. He was a young man, only 26 years of 3ge. He ■was born in Ashford, Kent, England, where his father and uncle were engaged in the engineering d- partment of the Sou th Eastern railway in Asbford, and here the deceased served his time as boiler-maker. He was in the employment of Mr. McOi-oskie, of Chapel-stri et, on whose behalf be was working on board the Hannah Mokau. He has principally resided with Mr. Stanford, of the York. Hotel, Newton, and formerly of the Poneonby Club Hotel, Mr. Stanford being from the same town, and knowing the deceased's family. Iα January last Mr. Keece married a widow, wh>> has one child by her former hnabaud, and we believe she is now left in the reverse of affluent circametances. At the coroner's inquest the jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death." INQCEST.. An inquiry was held on Jane 17, at the Railway Terminns Hotel, Onehunga, before Dr. Philson, Coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr. Elakey was chosen foreman, to inquire how the fire at the Man&kau Hotel, Onehanga,

occurred. The Coroner stated that the in quiry was held at the request of Mr. Board, man, of the South British Insuraiee Com pany, who was represented by Mr. C.Johnson A model of the late hotel, belonging to Mr. Hardington, was produced, titlm Ohesliirt deposed: I was servant at t= e Manakac Hotel on Saturday, 7th June. On the pri. vions night I went to bed about 11 o'clock. My bedroom was upstairs, in a back roam •pver the kitchen. My fellow-servant slept in the same room. I put the candle out carefully before going to ben. About twe hours after I was awakened by the crackling and roaring of fire. I got up, and weni along a passage, and saw fire over the back stairs. I then roused up Mr. Cunningham, ran down the front staiis, and opened the front door. I eaw no fire except at the back, I think the fire occurred in one of the rooms, occupied by one of the lodgers. Andrew Cunningham deposed that he was landlord o! the late Manukau Hotel. The building wag of wood, and consisted of two storeys. It was roofed with shingles. He could give no explanation as to how the tire originated. He estimated his loss at £2300. After some consideration, the' jury returned an open verdict that there was no evidence to show how the fire originated. FIRE IX CUSTOM-H USE-S i REET. At a little past 11 o'clock on the 7th of June, a suspicious smoke was observed issuing through, the openings of the store occupied by Mr. H. B. Morton, shipping and commission agent, Custom - house- street. Who first discovered the signs of fiie, we have not ascertained, but amongst those 6rst on the scene were Constable McGilp, who was on duty at the end of the wharf, and Detectives Brennan and Stratheru, with a few civilians. An entrance was effected by forcing the panels of the front door, the door itself being securely locked, and it wag then perceived that the fire was on the first floor, winch is reached by means of a ladder-way through a trap-door. It was found that the fire had taken hold close to a lot of rope and oakum, within about twelve feet of the aperture, or head of the ladder-way, and had there been water available then, the fire might hive been put out before extensive damage was caused. An effort was made to remove some ;of the goods from the lower floor, but this was soon checked. The building, we may explain, is' three stories, and the tire occurred on the middle floor. The stores consisted of ropes, oakum, tea, matches, oilmen's stores, confectionery, fruits, jams, &c, together with broom 3, sugar, tea, and, in fact, all the usual materials to be found in a well-filled store of this sort. The building itself is of brick, the roof of iron, and the supporting transoms and beams of suffic.ent strength to sustain heavy freights. The Fire Brigade and Salvage Corp3 arrived with surprising alacrity, and at once connected with the fire-plug opposite the Auckland Timber Company's building, and from this two jets were taken. One, under the direction of Foreman Ansell, with Branchman Fulljames, was led up the lano between Hendry's aud the Auckland Timber Company's premises to the back of the burning building, and carried over the roof of an iron building to the rear, through a back window of the floor on which the fire existed. In the meantime the other lead, by direction of Superintendent Hughes, was led up the hatchway already referred to by Branchman Harley, so as to attack the flames in front and rear, and a third lead wa3 taken from the corner ef Queen and Custnm-house-street from the stand-pipe to the top story. The lower floor soon became flooded with w.ater, and the Salvage Corp protected the goods as far as possible with oilskin coverings. The Newton Fire Brigade, under Superintendent Mahon, arrived in good force, and lent willing assistance. The ceilirjg of the upper floor took 6re at the back of the building, and the danger was imminent, although the atmosphere b"low was, up to this time, comparatively clear, when suddenly an explosion of a most curious nature occurred, and had the effect of driving all the dense smoke downwards to the lower floor. A second exploii -n followed, which rendered respiration on the first floor impossible, and a general rush took place for the hatchway. We regret to say that Branchman Harley, who, armed with a respirator, maintained his ground to the last moment, being partly suffocated, fell through the hatchway to the ground floor, and alighted on his shoulder. There were in all six explosions, and during one of them the rear portion of the upper floor gave way with a terrific crash, and a cry was raised that the walla were falling in. This created some consternation, and a rush waa made for the door. There was a severe crnsb, but no person was seriously injured, and amongst those who experienced great dagger were the detectives. Owing to the nature of the material stored, the smoke continued to be very dense, but in the course of about an hour the flames were checked. It was not, however, until 7 o'clock on Sunday morning that the Fire Brigades were withdrawn, assured that the danger was over. Next day, Mr. Morton got access to the safe in his office. The papers and books were found to be all safe, and he ascertained that the insurances on the stock were as follows :—New Zealand Insurance, £1,000 ; Northern Assurance, £1000; Royal Insurance, £1000 ; Victoria Insurance, £1000 ; and United Insurance, £500, making a total of £4500, a sum which it is believed will fully cover the goods contained in the store. The building, which is the property of L. D. Nathan and Co., was insured in the South British Insurance office for £1000, in conjunction with the adjoiningpremißes, occupied by Mr. Hemtry. IHQXTEST. An inquiry was held on the 20th June, when tbe jury, after visiting the scene of the ■fire and hearing evidence, returned an open verdict. FIRE IN VICTORIA-STREET. On May 29 at half-past two o'clock a.m. it was observed that fire had broken out in the shop of Mr. Simpson, at the corner of Victoria and Albert-streets. The shop is stored with drapery, boots, hats, and other articles of light clothing. Mr. Simpson states that his wife and the eeven children had retired to rest several hours before the alarm of fire was given. The building is of two stories, and the family slept in the room immediately above the shop. About the time named Mr. Simpson states that he was awakened by a crackling sound, and after listening a short time, he became convinced that the sounds proceeded from the shop. He got up and went to the top of the stairs, where he saw by the light reflected through the door, that the. shop was on fire. He gave the alarm, and gothis family roused up. At this time the fire had been seen by someone on the street, who rang the fire bell. In a very short time the Fire Brigade, ander Mr. Superintendent Hughes, were on the spot, and almost instantly the flames were overpowered by the rush of water. The fire appears to have made a general circuit of the shop and its contents, but there is very little injury done to the building, which is owned by Mr. T. Ball, of Mangonui. It is not known whether it ia insured, but most likely it is, as Mr. F. L. Prime was the local agent for the owner. Mr. Simpson has two policies on hie stock— one for £250 in the Royal office, and another for £100 in the Colonial. The destruction of the stock is complete between the action of the fire and the water, and, as the furniture is uninjured, perhaps Mr. Simpson's loss above his insurance writ not be heavy. He is unable to account for the origin of tho fire. There was no fireplace in the shop, and, though a fire had been burning in the sitting-room behind the shop during the evening, the fire which originated in the shop does not appear to have reached this room. A portion of the Newton Brigade was quickly on the spot, and the police, rendered every assistance. FIRE AT REMTJERA. At about six o'clock p.m. on Jnne 17, a small reflection of fire in the neighbourhood of Remuera attracted some attention in town, but it was generally attributed to some one burning scrub, and no alarm was sounded. It transpired, however, yesterday that the fire broke out in a threeroomed cottage oo Messrs. T. and S. Morrin's estate at Kemuera, and that it was totally destroyed. The cottage was occupied by a labourer named Mould and his family, the former being in the employment of Messrs. Morrin. It appears that the chimney has for some time past been in such a fonl state that Mrs. Mould was apprehensive, and never built a large fire. On Tuesday evening, however, she lighted a fire to boil the kettle for tea, and then left her home on some business. During her absence, the chimney caught fire, the sparks ignited the roof, and in a few seconds the little building was a mass of flames. Another labourer named Cornelius -O'Connor, who was working In the vicinity, observed the fire breaking out, and rushed up to the house. He could not gain an entrance at the back, so he burst in the front door, and succeeded in saving a portion of the furniture. Mr. Mould estimates his loss at £10, and Messrs. Morrin's lose on the building would he from £30 to £40. Neither owner nor oconpier was insured.