A MYSTERIOUS FIRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11301, 20 December 1898, Page 7

A MYSTERIOUS FIRE.

. Shortly after 4- o'clock p.m. on the 7th iust., a fire broke out under very peculiar circumstances in. a two-storey wooden house,, containing eight, rooms, 'occupied by Mr-Alfred-William. M'Douakl, wool merchant, situated near the corner of. Howe and, Cumberland streets. It appears', that a fire occurred in the .hole's at'three different times during- the day,' the place being completely destroyed on the'last occasion, while.ah adjoining building was also partially burnt. Mr ivi'Donn-ld states that at about halt-past 6 in the morning lie was reading the moriling' paper in the dining room, which faced Cumberland street, when ho smelt something burning. He had a look through .the house, and eventually- discovered that the drawing room; opposite, Ihe' dining'room, was full .of smoke. On going into the.room, ho. saw. that the window curtains at the window, facing Cumberland street had beeu on fire, and. that a fancy chair and a small aft,ernoon tea' table 'near' the window were burning. The mantel drape on (he opposite si'do of the room—a distance of about 18ft frorii.the other window just mentioned— had also been burnt, and a.portion..of it was still smouldering.^ Me quickly' put the .. fireout, and he and his son then mE(de a thorouq-h search through the house to sue.' that everything was safe, and no sigh'df fire could be seen anywhere. '. Later oh in the morning. Mr M'Donald called in at the .South .'British Insurnnco.. Company's, offiee-r-where.. his 5 furniture was. insured—arid',asked' fjmt a' -man should be sent down, to see the place. jOion, between 11 and 12' o'clock, a fire broke.out again in. thq sanie. room. This time it was discovered by Mrs M'Dqnald, who, on going into the room, found, that the. window curtains on .the "north'end- of the room had .been burnt, and -the wall itself was on fire.' Her son, a young man. attending, the-university, extinguished the flames; and some little time afterwards the manager of the South' British Insurance. Company inspected the b'uilctine. and appeared to be satisfied that thero' was no ■fire about anywhera. Then, again,;shortly after *l o'clock, another fire-broke'out in the hbURe. "Mrs M'Donald was next door'at the time, her daughter, some .younger children, aiid the servant bpiiig at home. ■ The fire was discovered by Miss' M'Donald /and the1 servant in a clipboard adjoining the servant's bedroom upstairs, which was used as-a, ward.rolie.' Mr M'Donald, however, statesi that he had ' been into this cupboard when looking through the house earlier in the '.day. and" there was ho sign of fire, there then. Shortly, after the- alarm of 'fire was given; the Oity Brijfade we're on the scene; but'the,flames had then got a thorough hold of the building, and'there seemed little probability of saving it'i.' The north end of the adjoining building' hod also'".caught, and' as!' there was-a; strong wind blowing from the north, and the brigade had to work with ,i low pressure of water, it sdemedasif both structures would be completely destroyed. 'As a matter-of fact, the house oceuniod by Mr M'Donald was burnt down to-the ground, while the other Vis also very much damaged by. firo, the top" storey being completely gutted,''and also one room on the north end of the'lower storey. The last-mentioned house contained nine rooms, and was occupied as a. martse by the Roy. I. K. M'lnlyre, who had the miaforhine 'to have his church,near the same. loeality,clest.royed by firo some months itfed.'- ;Tha. building occu pied by.Mr M'Donald formed part.of the late Mr J. Toomey's estate, and. was .insured in the Standard Office for £600, the. othor building being insured in the National Office for £500, while both buildings- were re-insured. Mr, M'Donald's furniture.and. effects were insured in the South British Office f0r,5300.: but. he estimates, his loss at-about,£2so .over.and above th 6 amount of the insurance. The: only thingß saved from the fire belonging to him were a piano, a sofa, a table, and'a few.other articles, 'while among the things : destroyed we're all.'his account bookß.; Mr, M'lntyro's furniture', which is supposed to; be uninsured; was, fortunately, .all savfid. ' X may' be mentioned that Mr M'Donald, " jiin....lirui.-.ii.i

second fire, called at the Fire^Brigade station,and tqld Captain Mitchell whatjiad occurred. Captain Mitchell, ..on., being asa.uj'ed 'that. the fire had been extmtfuisheS,1 deomed it unnocessary to send a'nypne to the house;' . - '