DAMAGE BY FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19419, 30 August 1926, Page 8

DAMAGE BY FIRE.

A HOMESTEAD DESTROYED, FAMILY'S HURRIED ESCAPE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] BLENHEIM, Saturday, ■ The homestead of Mr. John Cantwell, dairy farmer, at Para, on tho BienheimPicton highway, was totally destroyed by fire last night, together with its contents and outbuildings. Mrs. Cantwell and her children were at home at the time, Mr. Cantwell being absent. When xcitii'ing Mrs. Cantwell heard a strange noise at the rear of tha house and opened the door into the kitchen to investigate. A great billow of smoke, enveloped her and she collapsed. She quickly recovered, however, and hurriedly got the children to safety. No .water or assistance was available, and th» fire made a clean sweep. The buildings were insured for £6lO and tho contents for £2OO in the Phoenix Company. The loss is estimated at £4OO. EARLY MORNING OUTBREAK. OCCUPANT JUMPS FROM WINDOW. [nv TELEGRAPH.—£>>VN CORRESPONDENT.] CAMBRIDGE. Sunday. An outbreak of fire at an early hour yesterday morning destroyed a large homestead occupied by Mr. C. Charlton at Pukeroro, about five miies from Cambridge. The occupants were awakened by crackling from the burning building. They made a hurried escape, clad only in their night attiie. A fai'm hand who occupied an upstairs room escaped by jumping from the window. Everything was destroyed. * MOTOR AUCKLAND CA3ES. MOTOR-BUS CATCHES FIRE. As the result of the exhaust-pipe becoming overheated a motor-bus owned by the General Omnibus Company caught fire in Symonds Sti'eet shortly before 10 o'clock last 'evening. The firo brigade quickly arrived on the scene and subdued the outbreak before any serious damage was caused. Seeing smoke issuing from the storeroom of the Club Hotel, Onehunga, at an early hour dn Saturday morning Constable Poll gave the alarm to tho Onehunga brigade, which quickly suppressed the flames. Very little damago was done, the roof and one side of the room being slightly burned,