FIRE AT STOKE ORPHANAGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12648, 28 April 1903, Page 5

FIRE AT STOKE ORPHANAGE.

THE BUILDINGS DESTROYED. • ONE BOY MISSING. (Peb United Press Association,) NELSON, April 2T. A little before 3 o'clock this morning the Boys' Orphanage ab Stoke wse completely destroyed by fire. Mi Fitzgerald, tho head master, states flint about ball-past 2 ho discovered a fire, and traced it to the boys' dressing room ( m the upper storey, and at the noHli-eaet cud oE the building. In a very short time tho fire spread. Hβ afonce removed two boys who were ill hospital, and got the other boy« from the burning place. There woro 112 boys in the institution, and so far as could be ascertained all were got out safely and without mishap. They escaped in thoir nightolothes, though some secured blanketn. A email hsrmonmm and some few other things were saved from downstairs, but the lads were left without eiothes to wear.

William Nelson, aged eight and a-half years, is missing. Hβ is said to ha.ve been seen by other boys'after, tho fire, but whon the roll was called ho was not to be found. Search parties were out all day on the hills, "but without success.

The insurances arc: £3000 on the building, £500 on the furniture, and £100 on the workshop in tho South British Insurance Company. Of this sum £1000 is reinsured in tho National and £500 in tho New Zealand offices.

The splendid discipline at the school oi.eurcd tho saving of life. The whole of the boys oxeept the lad who is missing (and lie may bo on the hills) whon tho fire broke out were marshalled by Schoolmaster Beach, who sent them back for what they could savo, and then marched them down the Blairs like a troop of soldiers. The loss over tho insurance is estimated at about £10,000.

The ' boys aro housed at present in tho woodshed and other outhouses. A supply of clothing was forwarded shortly after daylight. Riffs of clothes, boote. ctp., aro greatly needed, as everything was lost.