THE FATAL FIRE AT DUNEIDIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7863, 4 February 1887, Page 5

THE FATAL FIRE AT DUNEIDIN.

[BY TELEGRAPH. — PRESS ASSOCIATION. Dcnbdin, Thursday. The inquiry into the recent fire at tho Iron and Woodware Company's premises was concluded to-day, the jury finding that Jas. Churchill, assistant stoker, set the place on fire, but whether wilfully or accidentally was not shown. It was Churchill's duty to go down to the factory on Sunday and bank up the fir6e ready to start on Monday morning. This duty he said he performed, and loft the premises at fifteen minutes past ten a.m. According to his version, he then went for a walk about the streets, and was in company with one or two persons, never having gone near tho factory again. A constable and two witnesses who knew Churchill, however, state that they saw him about the stokehole a few minutes before the alarm of fire was given. Churchill brought two witnesses to prove that he was about the streets on Sunday at the time he mentioned, but both gave their evidence in such a way that the magistrate had to caution thorn. From the evidence it would appear that Churchill, when in the magazine where shavings were kept, must have dropped a light into it, and perhaps not noticed it. The shoot by whioh shavings, etc., reached the magazine would act as a lluo and cause a strong draught, and once started the shavings would burn furiously. The jury's verdict was, "The jury find that the fire originated in the magazine adjoining the boiler-house ; that Jas. Churchill was in the boiler-house immediately before the fire was discovered, and set fire to the place, but whether accidentally or wilfully there is no evidence to show." They added the following rider:—"That tho company gave too much facility for access to their premises by allowing such a largo number of their employs to carry keys."