FIRES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 59

FIRES.

MARTON, July 10. The State school was totally destroyed by fire at 3 o’clock this morning. INVERCARGILL, July 7. The Baptist Church,, a wooden building at North Invercargill, 'was destroyed by fire at 2 o’clock this morning. It was insured for £3OO, The total insurances on Mr Donncliy’s house, Otatara, total £BOOO In the Com-, mercial Union office. The loss is considerably above that sum says the Wellington Post. Mr Donnelly paid £6OOO for the property, and spent. ‘fiiOOO on improvements. Some very valuable paintings and Maori carvings of historical intercet were destroyed. The total loss over and above the insurance is estimated at £20,000. The Dunedin police received word on the 7th that a bakehouse and shed, the property, of Mr John Lefevre, of Hampden, and occupied by Wilson and Co., storekeepers, was burnt down at 9.30 p.m. on Monday. The buildings were insured in the State Fire office for £SO. The firm’s effects were uninsured, and their loss is estimated at about £6O. The fire is attributed to a defective furnace and ' chimney. A wooden stable owned by Mrs J. Ritchie and occupied by Mr J. Emmerson, baker, situated in Currie street. Port Chalmers, was destroyed by five /late on Monday, 6tb inst., resulting’ in the death pf one horse and severe burns to another animal. The fire was first observed by Mr E. Kemp, who opened the stable door and liberated the horses, one of which had already been badly singed about the head and shoulders, but ho was too late to save the third horse, which was past help by the time Mr Kemp had released the other animals. The Fire Brigade was quickly on the scene, and succeeded in saving the houses adjoining, occupied by Mr J. Percy and Mr E. Clark, the only damage to these buildings being the blistering of some paint. The prompt action of the brigade resulted in a very lucky “save.” There was no insurance on the stable or contents, and in addition to the loss of one horse, Mr Emmerson lost a quantity of harness and feed. The cause of the fire is unknown