FIRE AT ASHBURTON

Otago Witness, Issue 2842, 2 September 1908, Page 88

FIRE AT ASHBURTON

♦■ TWO LIVES LOST. SERIOUS LOSS OF PROPERTY. ASHBURTON, August 28. One of the most disastrous fires in the history of the town occurred at 10 o'clock last night, and besides destroying the £iain portion of one of the principal brick business blocks, was responsible for the loss of two livesi. The fire broke, out in the two-storey premises occupied by A. L. Zouch (dentist), and after utterly destroying, the building spread to the adjoining chops on either side, some of which'- were gul'ted, Mr Zouch, his two aseisants, and a servant girl escaped safely, but Mrs. Zouch (mother of the occupier of the place), who was bathing at the time, evidently- jumped from an upstairs window at the back, after being fearfully burned. She was taken to the hospital, and expired a& the result of burns and shock at 3.15 a.m. A boy, three years old, the eon of Mr Zouch, who was asleep \ipsteirs, was burned to death, the charred remains being discovered after the fire had been subdued. Gr. Hefford and Co.'s drapery establishment, at the corner of East street, was next attacked, and completely demolished, nothing being saved. James M-ellor's boot shop, on the other side of Zoueh's, and the adjoining painters' show of A. and B. Terris were both badly damaged, the stock being destroyed ac mucn by water as by fire. The efforts of the brigade- and the brick part of the wall staged the progress of the fire in East street, and the premises of Robinson (fruiterer), B"?gess (stationer), and Young (bootmaker) were damaged only by ■water. Hefford and Co* will lose heavily over aad above the insurance. They had just got in £800 worth of spring goods. All the premises are owned by Mrs Coleman, ki the estate of the late Captain George Coleman, and are insured for £3076 in tin. Phcenbt office. Heffoirdta stock was. insured for £2700, the Phoenix having- £600, the Royal £500, th* North British £600. and the Imperial £1000. Terri» had a policy of £500 m the Liverpool, fiondton, and Globe, an? Young £400 in- the North British and Alliance, while Zoueh's stock, furniture, and dental instruments- were insured- in </»e- poHcy in the' Yorkshire for £450. Mollor'a slock vau insured for £1500 in th© New Zealand. There is no clue to the origin of the fire, though it is generally surmised, from it* sudden and otherwise inexplicable outbreak, that it was due to an escape of gas. , _ JMns Zouch vi as the wife of Mr \\". H. 2Joach, inspector £ot the Society for the Prevention' of Cruelty to Anln-als in Chri*tchv.Trk. It ia uaderctood J.hat the premises will fc» rebai.lt> U once," Mr Heff'jrdi having a cix years' loa&e to ran. The lens vi life has created great congtematioc h*re, acd Mr A. L. Zor.ch has received numerous tolegrarus of sympathy. The deceased lady had complained of indisposition prior to tue fire, and. her ecu laO, fit 9.45 b-VC... requested .•■ 'lector to

r see her. At 10,15 the fire was discovered. It is presumed that she would have had time to escape unharmedi if she had not attempted to rescue the child. The total insurances on the buildings, stock, etc., affected by the fire aggregate £9075. At the inquest on the bodies of Mary Dove Zouch (aged 49 years) and the boy (aged three years), who lost their lives through the fire last night, formal evidence- of identification of the -bodies only was taken, and the inquest was adjourned for a week.