BLAZE IN QUEEN-STREET

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15142, 5 November 1912, Page 8

BLAZE IN QUEEN-STREET

A MAN SERIOUSLY HURT.

REMOVED TO THE HOSPITAL.

I BOARDINGHOUSE BURNED.

Fire broke out just after two o'clock this morning in a boardinghouse ;in the tipper part Queen-street, known as- the Greerton Private Hotel. The house, occupied by Mrs. Howard, had a frontago to Queenstreet and ran back to Liverpool-street.

: The fire had a. strong hold when discovered by one of the boarders, and it is considered by those who saw the blaze in; its early stages to be exceedingly fortunate that all the occupants of the house got out alive. There were 18 boarders in the house. All the occupants were promptly awakened, and with one exception were able to get to the street in safety before the fire made exit by the stairway impossible.

A son of Mrs. Howard. Sydney John Howard, aged about 23, employed in the Railway Department., was not so fortunate. " He either jumped from a high balcony or fell from a ladder, and was picked" up bleeding and unconscious. The injured man was at once carried to the residence of the' Rev. Jas. Cocker, where Dr. Murray attended to his injuries. He was later removed in an ambulance to the hospital.

The fire brigade turned out with great promptitude, but the fire liad a strong hold on the building before their arrival, and practically all thoy could do was to save the adjoining buildings. At first it seemed that this would not be possible, and some furniture was hurriedly removed from the promises next to the burning building. In a remarkably short time, however, tho fire was over, but little was saved of either Greerton or its contents.

The building was of two-storeys, built of wood. It burned rapidly and there was little chance to save any of the contents. Some of the boarders, however, succeeded in bringing portions of their belongings out of the building.