FIRE IN URE-STREET.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 618, 26 April 1878, Page 2

FIRE IN URE-STREET.

o Shortly before two o'clock this morning the house of Mr. James "Dunn, Orestreet, was discovered by Mrs. Dunn to be on fire. The building must have been burning for a considerable time before Mrs. Dunn was aroused to a sense of her danger and the terrible death from which she and her family barely escaped, as the fire was then almost at its height. Mrs. Dunn, although almost suffocated with the smoke, fortunately had sufiicient strength left to take the necessary stops to preserve- her own life and the lives of her children. She, leaped out of bed, and without waiting to dress, lifted her baby in her arras and carried it to the house of

her nearest neighbor (Mr. Dawson). She told the unfortunate tale in as few words as possible, and leaving her baby in Mr: carfej rushed back to the burn? ing house to save her other two children, aged about", two arid a half and ten years. Mr. Dawson lost iio time in proceeding to the scene of disaster, but -when he arrived the whole -building had -passed the first stage of burning, and that portion which was' still standing consisted of glowing embers. At a glance it was seen that the building, or, indeed, any portion of it, was beyond redemption, and the furniture also, with the exception of a table and a cradle, became a prey to the flames. About 20 neighbors were on the spot for the purpose of rendering kindly assistance, but all help was unavailing. The fire must have started in the kitchen—and/it is thought, by means of the stove —as that portion of the building was far gone when the fire was first discovered. The building was insured in the South British for L2OO and the furniture for L2OO.