FIRE AT PARAWAI

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11691, 28 June 1901, Page 5

FIRE AT PARAWAI

TWO COTTAGES DESTROYED. [n;o.M our. ows cokbespondext.] Thames, Thursday. Aijout four o'clock this morning a, tiro broke cut in a six-roomed cottage in Banks-street, J Parawai, occupied by Mis. Dunne and her two sons, and on I id by Mr. David Stewart. i sen. So rapidly did the flames spread that | another four-roomed cottage, close by, with a shingle roof, also owned by Mr. Stewart, but unoccupied, ignited soon afterward. Owing to the scene of the fire being some distance from town, it was about fifteen minutes after the alarm hid been given before the Shortland branch of the lire brigade arrived, by which time both structures were a mass of flames, so that the efforts of the firemen had principally to be confined to preventing the tire from further spreading, only a portion of the framework of the four-roomed cottage being saved, The outbreak was first discovered by Mr. Valentino Dunne, who was awakened by tin; smoke, and he aroused Ins brother, Mr. 11. G. Dunne, who was asleep in an adjoining room. At this time the flames had got a firm hold, and were apparently coming from the diningroom, in the front portion of the house. Airs. Dunne, the mother, was absent in Auckland. Comparatively little of the furniture was saved,'the brothers confining their attention to saving as much of their clothing as possible, but they only had a few moments to do it in, as "the Humes* spread with great rapidity. As before stated, the fire is supposed' to have originated in the diningroom. Mr. Valentine Dunne states that he left a small lire bunting in the grate when he. retired at halfpast eleven p.m., and it is supposed that a spark or live ember must have accidentally fallen on to the floor. The house, which was valued at about £-150, was a comparatively new structure, only having been built about three years ago. the previous building on the same site having also been destroyed by fire about that time whilst occupied by Mr. Stewart hi resell. The second "cottage was an older structure, and was valued at about £200. The insurances were as follows:—I he house ococupied by the Dunnes was insured for £350 in the" Victoria office ; the unoccupied house was insured for £100 in the Commercial Union office ; and Mrs. Dunne's furniture was insured for £100 jit the London. Liverpool, ami Globe office. The value of the furniture is estimated at £100 above the insurance at the very lowest.