FIRE IN MARMION STREET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13226, 11 July 1906, Page 5

FIRE IN MARMION STREET.

CHILD ALMOST SUFFOCATED. Shortly before noon yesterday a fire broke out in a four-roomed, bouse jn Marmion-' street, off? Upper Queen-street. Two rooms; downstairs arid a v small ? room attached at' the rear, with the contents, were destroyed by fire, and the contents of the two rooms upstairs damaged by water. The house is i an i .oxc;gedjjigly-*mall..one, two rooms bei^g built upstairs, and two underneath, measuring about 9ft by 10ft each. The lower portion was in flames before the tire was digcovered, and the attached room at the rear was completely destroyed, but the remainder .is standing, though the walls are badly charred. Messrs. Nicholls Brothers own the premises, which had only been occupied about .a week by Mr. R. Punnell and family as a temporary residence, as they had only arrived in the colony from the Old Country about a fortnight ago. Mrss Funnell left the house yesterdaj morning to look fov a more suitable residence, and left * child in the house until she returned. The unfortim-; ate boy''had a narrow escape . for his; life.' Two neighbours smashed open the door on the alarm being given,' and found the child almost. suffocated, but after being in the fresh air some time it revived. How the fire occurred is not known. The house was not insured. The walls of the .residence adjoining, owned by Mr. Perrin arid occupied by Mr. E. McCarthy, were charred, but the promptitude of the City Fire Brigade prevented the spread of the five.