WEEK-END FIRES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10955, 18 July 1921, Page 5

WEEK-END FIRES

MAN S NARROW ESCAPE OCCUPANTS ESCAPE IN NIGHT ATTIRE. INJURED MAN I-N HOSPITAL. \ Two calls were received by the fire brigade during the week-end. At 1.2 a.m. yesterday morning a call was received from 72, "Wright street, Newtown, to a six-roomed wood and iron house, owned by Joseph McKnigbt, and occupied by Henry Frederick Norris. The building and contents were badly damaged, and the adjoining houses. No. 74 and No. 70, were charred on one side. Mrs Norris escaped from the burning house-, biit her husband, who is an Imperial naval f a seed 86 years, was rescued with difficulty by neighbours. He was found to be cut about the head and burnt aboufcb the legs, ‘ necessitating his removal to the hospital. At an' early hour this morning he had somewhat improved in condition. The owner of the burnt house, Mr J. McKnight, resides in Hamilton, but is on a visit to Wellington. He is- Mr and Mrs* NoinVs son-in-law. The house adjoining No. 72 -is! owned and occupied by Detective J. Walsh, who with Mrs Walsh and their, four children oscaned in their nightclothes when the side of their house was ablaze. About .£l5O worth of damage resulted to Detective Walsh’s promises, which are insured in the Sun office for £650. No. 70 a dwelling by Mr S. McNally, was considerably charred on one side. The furniture in each of the above house*? was not affected. The furniture which was destroyed in No. 72 was uninsured. Motor-engines from the Constable street and the Central stations were in attendance, and the brigadesmen did remarkably good work in preventing the flames spreading further in the heavy gale that was raging. At 9.50 yesterdav morning brigade received a’call to the new telephone bureau at TCelburn. Slight* damage was caused through a quantity of straw igniting in the boiler-room.