OUTBREAKS OF FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20597, 23 June 1930, Page 8

OUTBREAKS OF FIRE.

DWELLING AT DEVONPORT.

AN EXPLOSION HEARD.

OWNER AWAY AT TIME.

Preceded by an explosion which attracted the attention of a neighbour, a fire occurred in a house at 7, Huia Street, Devonport, about 4 o'clock yesterday morning. There was no one in the bouse at the time, the owner, Mr. W. C. Mills, being at Campbell's Bay, where he had camped for tho week-end. The Devonport fire brigade, which was summoned by the person who was aroused by the report, was at the fire within two minutes and mado an excellent save. The house, which was of seven rooms, was a twostoreyed wooden structure. A man living in tho house opposite Mr. Mills' homo heard an explosion about 4 a.m., and on looking out of the window saw the house on fire. lUames seemed to be coming from every room. He at onco communicated with the Devonport fire station, which is only a quarter of a mile distant. On their arrival the firemen noticed that tho flames seemed to be fiercest in tho basement, the outbreak in tho upper storey not being so strong as when the fire was first noticed. The firemen broke in the back door and attacked the flames from both below and above, soon gaining control. When the firo was suppressed it was seen that the damage extended to several rooms, although tho fire had not gained a strong hold in any on© room. On the upper floor the chief damage was to the walls, the papers being burned off and tho paintwork charred, while the ceilings wero stained with smoke. On tho lower storey most damage was done to the flooring and the joists, which were charred more extensively on the underside by fire in tho ba!sement. Much of the furniture was also charred. ABKLE'S BAY HOUSE. DESTRUCTION OF BUILDING* A boarding house at Arkle'g Bay, known as Arkle's Bay House, was completely destroyed by fire shortly after 11 o'clock last evening. Practically nothing was saved. There were only a few people in tho house at tho time, tho owner, Mrs. O'Connor, being away from home. The occupants were Mr. and Mrs. Roy Maher and their small son, and two other guests. Only three chairs and a table were saved. The building, which was an old two-storeyed wooden one, is well known to holiday-makers and yachtsmen. It is understood that the boardinghouse is covered by insurance, but details wero not available at an early hour this morning. \ DWELLING BURNED DOWN. NOTHING SAVED FROM FLAMES. [BZ TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] THAMES, Sunday. Fire at 12.15 a.m. yesterday destroyed a six-roomed house on the Turua-N«;ther-ton Road, owned by Mr. M. Handley, of Paeroa, and occupied by Mesirs. Fred Handley and James Rankin. Nothing was saved. SLIGHT DAMAGE TO BOOH. OUTBREAK IN MOTOR-CAR. Slight damage to the floor and lining boards in ono room at a house at 39, Williamson Street, Ono Tree Hill, owned and occupied by Mr. G. R. Blakcy, was caused by a slight outbreak of firo at 10.30 on Saturday evening. Tho cause of the fire, which was quickly suppressed by the Remuera brigade, was an electric iron which had not been turned off. An outbreak of fire caused minor damage to the upholstery and electric wiring of a five-seater motor-car owned and driven by Mr. A. G. Quarlley, of Glen Road, Remuera, in Victoria Avenue at 1.45 yostorday morning. Mr. Quartley called tho Remuera brigade, which extinguished the flames before much dam-

ago had been caused.