FIRES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8554, 24 July 1889, Page 3

FIRES.

A five-roomed house, owned by Mr Garstang nnd occupied by Mr Hugh Cameron, situated at Broughton street, Kaikorai, was destroyed by fire yesterday morning at about 3 o'clock. Mr Cameron retired soon after 10 o'clock, when everything seemed safe, but a fire was left burning in one of the rooms, and to this is attributed the outbreak. Nothing was saved beyond a few clothes, as the building, which was a very old one, was soon levelled to the ground. The contents were insured in the Standard office for £50. Mr Cameron estimates his loss, however, at about £50 over this amount. The Roslyu Brigade'were in attendance, but the building was down by the time they got the aliirtn. A five-roomed houise in St. Andrew street, owned by Mr Curie and occupied byMr Asquitb, was discovered to be on fire shortly before 6 o'clock last evening. It appears that a wooden kerosene case, filled with ashes, bad been placed outside the hou.e, against the wall of a back room. The case became ignited, and the flames were communicated to the wall of the hou6G, portion of which and portion of the ceiling were burnt. Tbo damage, however, was slight, and will bo covered by a few pounds. The City Fire Brigade and the Salvage Corps were both on the spot within » few minutes of the alarm. A second alarm of fire was given about r. quarter to 11 last night, and the Fire Brigade and Salvage Corps proceeded to the south end of the town, but on arriving there they found everything quiet. They wended their way back to their respective headquarters, and Mr Robertson, the superintendent of the brigade, reread the tape on which the alarm had been registered, but could not distinguish whether it was the letter "x" or the letter "v" that had been printed—the former indicating that the fire was in the south end of the city, and the latter that it was in the north. A detachment then proceeded northwards, and were directed to a sis-roomed brick house in Union street, near LeUh street, where it was found the fire had been. It appears that 3 young lady named M'Laughlin was passing this house, and noticing au unusual glare in one of the upstairs windows she at once gave the alarm, and the indicator at the Pelichet Bay Hotel was broken and word thus sent to the City Fire Brigade. As stated above, however, they found it impossible to say definitely where the fire was, and when they Hrrived on the proper scene their contingent at North Dunedin had already attended to tho flames, the progress of which was stopped before much damage was done. It is estimated that £20 will cover the loss. Mr J. P. Simon (of Messrs Simon Bros.) occupied the house up till yesterday at noou. It is surmised that the fire originated through ft defective fireplace, as the flames were confined to the vicinity of one of these. We were unable last night to ascertain the Dame of the owner of the house or whether or not it was insured,