DESTRUCTION BY FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20724, 18 November 1930, Page 10

DESTRUCTION BY FIRE.

PAPATOETOE HOMESTEAD.

SOME ARTICLES SAVED.

INADEQUATE WATER SUPPLY.

A nine-roomed wooden homestead on tho Ranginui Estate, .near Papatootoc, owned and occupied by Mr. l'\ A. Price, was completely destroyed by firo yesterday morning. There was 110 0110 in the house at tho time.

Tho Papatoetoe Firo Brigade was called and beforo its arrival the owner, assisted by his employees and men from neighbouring farms, saved a few articles of furniture and personal effects, including Mr. Price's hunting trophies and war souvenirs. Further attempts by the brigade to save the contents were prevented by denso smoke filling tho rooms and intense heat..

Only two rooms wore burning when the brigado arrived and tho house could havo been saved with a high-pressuro water supply. Tho brigade had to rely 011 tho house supply from a boro and tanks and this was played on the flames with a first-aid outfit. Realising that it was impossible to save the house the firemen concentrated on preventing tho flames spreading to tho outbuildings.

Tho homestead was destroyed, together with nearly all its valuable contents. Tho building was insured for £3OOO with tho Commercial Union, and tho contents for £llOO with tho New Zealand Insurance Company. SHOP AT MOUNT EDEN. O DAMAGE DONE TO STOCK. The stock and fittings in a drapery shop aL 454. Mount Eden Road, conducted by Mrs. E. Coote, was damaged by firo shortly beforo seven o'clock last evening. Tho shop is in a block of wooden buildings owned by Mr. R. Robertson. Tho outbreak was quickly extinguished by the Mount Eden Brigado, the only damage to tho premises being to one wall and tho ceiling, but the stock and fittings suffered extensively through heat and smoke. Tho stock was insured for £lO5 in Lloyd's, while there was a cover on tho building in tho Commercial Union Office. ELLERSLIE OUTBREAK. OCCUPANTS ABSENT AT TIME. While the occupants were absent yesterday morning, firo caused extensive damage to a four-roomed house at 4, Park Road, Ellerslie, owned by Mr. A. Coffin. Tho interior was almost gutted, while tho greater part of the furniture was destroyed. A boy noticed tho flames and summoned the Ellerslie Brigade, but by tho tiino tho firemen arrived the outbreak had a strong hold. The building was insured for £750 in tho State Fire Office, which also held a policy for £IBO over the contents. TWO FALSE ALARMS. CALLS TO CITY BRIGADE. Tho City Fire Brigado received two false alarms last evening. At 6.20 p.m. a passer-by thought that smoke was coming from the stables of Winstone, Limited, off Symonds Street, near the intersection of Khyber Pass Road, while two hours later a false call was given from a street box at tho intersection of Customs Street East and Gore Street. HOUSE AT THAMES. SON GIVES THE ALARM. [bv telegraph.—own correspondent.] THAMES. Monday. A six-roomed house in Kurunui Bay, Thames, the property of Mr. William Banning, was destroyed by lire late last night. Tho family had retired early to bed as Mr. Lanning intended getting up at 1 a.m. to go fishing. Just before midnight he rose to see if the weather was suitable and heard his son calling out that tho house was burning,. By the timo 110 got his wifo and daughters out tho fire had a strong hold and the brigade, which arrived promptly, could only confino the flames to tho building. A houso next door was only scorched. The insurances are £IOO on the houso and £l7O on* the furniture. DAMAGE AT OHAKUNE. LOSS ESTIMATED AT £4OOO. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. | RAETIHI, Monthly. An outbreak of fire at Olialume Junction at 3 a.m. to-day lasted five hours and destroyed a billiard room occupied by Mr. Pederson. A double ironmongery shop belonging to tho Marsh Estate was partially destroyed, and tho general store of Chan Yin was burned down. The damage is estimated at about £4OOO.