FIRES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14442, 8 February 1909, Page 6

FIRES

(Per I'jiiTSD Pbkss Association.) CIHMSTCIII'RCII, February 6. Shortly before midnight, on Friday the Addington Public School was found to he- on lire, and despite the efforts ~f the brigade the main building was totally destroyed. The infant, school, situated a-lwut two chains from the main school, was saved. The school had been undergoing a complete overhaul during the holidays, but though the workmen were engaged on the building during Ihe <lay no (ire was used. The building destroyed was insured under the. (tovcrninent's own scheme. It is imgrassiblc to assign any eaitso for the outbreak-. Among the property destroyed was a. piano "valued at£6s. the school lending library, on which £200 had been spent during the last two years, and a number of eases containing valuable natural history specimens. The workmen's tools were also burnt, hut fortunately no furniture had been installed.

The curtain of a window in an eisrhtrooiusd house in Cumberland street, occupied by Mrs C. Deunkon. caught fire yesterday morning shortly after A lodger in the house went to bed at a late hour, ,-md left a candle burnin" near window, with the result that a wind sprang up and the curtain was blown on Io tho candle and eet in flames. The fire wa.s extinguished before the brigade arrived and before any damage Ijcyond the destruction of the blind ami some d'-a.pings occurred. The furniture and effects in the house were uninsured, and the insurance on the house, which is owned by Mrs Ramsay, Great King street, was not obtainable yesterday.