ESCAPE FROM FIRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21279, 5 September 1932, Page 8

ESCAPE FROM FIRE

SOLE OCCUPANT OF HOUSE §JJ ALMOST OVERCOME BY SMOKg OUTBREAK IN FIERCE STORM I f HAIL HAMPERS THE FIREMEN ■ Awakened shortly after one o'clock on Saturday morning by the roar of flames,. Mr. A. Prangley, the owner of a roomed wooden house in Grey Mangere Crossing, had a trying expert; A? ence. Mr. Prangley, who was the only occupant of the house at the time, heard thellfP crash of something falling, and pp oa ' -j opening the door, was almost overwhelmed by the dense smoke. He found P the back rooms in flames and had to make his escape through a bedroom win. '■ dow - A gale was raging at the time and Mr.WIP Prangley ran, half-dressed ; through the ''", storm to a neighbour's house to phone the brigade. This telephone and two others which ho sought to use were out of order, anj he called on a motorcyclist to go for the brigade. However other neighbours in the vicinity- hid If noticed the outbreak and summoned too brigade, which arrived to find that thdM® roof had collapsed. The house was completely destroyed and none of the contents was saved. The firemen concentrated on saving a number '/ of sheds and a glasshouse at the back of the house. Their efforts were hampered - considerably by "a, blinding hail-storm' which swept over the district, accompanied by a fierce gale. The wind'drov# the flames toward a hedge adjoining an- > other house and set it on fire, but the € flames were extinguished before further is damage was done. "

HOUSE ANTJ COJTTENTS LOST

OWNER AND FAMILY ABSENT if —• - [FROM our own correspondent] | HAMILTON", Sunday " Fire totally destroyed a house aft '' Whatawhata .on Friday evening in the absence of the,owner, Mr. L. F. Barry, o! and his family. *'■s-& The outbreak, which occurred at aboafc - 10 p.m., \vas not noticed until the flames had a good hold and the neighbours could -"Cv do nothing to save the building or contents. ->-o