FIRE AT ROSLYN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2206, 11 June 1896, Page 26

FIRE AT ROSLYN.

The ringing' of tha Rosljn fire bell and a brilliant illumination ia the western sky proclaimed about 11 p.m. on Thursday that thett was a large housa on fire in Roslyn. Inquiries elicited the facb that the house was that of Mr James A. Park, of Park, Reynolds, and Co.— » nine-roomed building situated in Leven street. The flee was discovered by Mr Herbert Park, who was living with his brother and who went home by the last car from town. He aroused his brother, who was lyiDg down half asleep, awaiting his coming, and they found that the fire was in -the servant's bedroom, apparently in the bedclothes. Mr J. A. Park seized these and threw them on the floor and as he thought stamped the fire out, but on taming roufid he saw that the" bed iteelf was burning from below. He then realised that the fire wan not to be octinguished by his efforts and that it most catch the house itself, and his impulse was next to see to the safety of his family. Gushing into the night nursery, which adjoins the servant's bedroom, he aroused the three youngest children, who were sleeping there. He had prudently instructed them as to what they should do in the event of fire, and, at his bidding, they ran to a place of safety, subsequently returning to secure some wearing apparel. He then informed his wife of the' faot that the bouse was on firo and the two eldest children, who slept in the room with him, were gent outside. The Messrs Park next turned their attention to the water supply, which is on the premises, but as they went round the side of the house they found the servant (Jessie Reid) lying outside the nvfraery window ia a state of unconsciousness. She had evidently thrown herself out of the window in that room. By this time the house, which was one of the oldest in Dunedin, having been built 35 years ago, was ft mass of flsmes. Mr H. Park arcustd Mr Wssher, the superintendent of the Ro&lyn Brigade, and the latter, while he despatched hi 3 wife to give the alarm by means of the fire bell, arrived on the scene without delay, and gave valuable assistance in the saving of thoce articles which were rescued. There was no water supply available, Mr Park's own underground tank Being out off by the flames, and there was no alternative but to alldw the house to go. Some cf the Eeighbours worked gallaatly, but the smoke and the heat speedily beat them off, and beyond some of the childreu's clothing and a few articles of furniture nothing could be saved. Mr Park himself escaped in his cightclotbes and a pair of trousers, which he hxd pulled on when his brother had informed him of the danger. The fire, as has been before stated, originated in the seiv.-ut's bedroom, but how it was caused is a mystery. The servant herself wbs for some lime unconscious, having received some iojury to her head by falling out of the nursery window. She was attended to by Dr Brown, and was found not to be dangerously injured, bub could not of course be questioned. It is possible that she, driven from her own room in attaieo! sesnwuffocation, had goue to Ihe nursery to give fci c alarm ; but it is Hot feven certain that she was sleeping in her own room, for in the periodical absence of the nursegirl she was in the habit of sleeping in tbe nursery. There was for fonae time some doubt as to whether the nursegirl, Hetty Qoodlet by nHn», had not perhhed in the flames, but upon inquiry it was found thit she had, as was her wont on her night "oufc," gone home. The house was, insured for £600 in the Northern office,' acd the furniture for, Mr Pack thinks, £500 in the South British office. The policy on the furni%re hid been allowed to run out when the insurance rates were revised some time ago, but it was fortunately renewed within the last three weeks. The loss is considerably above the amount of the insurance, for MrPa>k had a large quantity of valuable furniture, including a number of very fine work* of art. It; is extremely providential, however, that the fire was discovered at the time it was, for had it been allowed another few minutes' start it is almost certain that ib would have been absolutely impossible to have saved the occupants of the nursery. Mr Herbert Park h alo a considerable loser, a number of surveyor's appliances of hi.?, iucladiog a theodolite, having been destroyed.