FIRES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3808, 8 March 1927, Page 30

FIRES.

BLAZE AT PAPATOETOE. AUCKLAND, March 3. Between 4 and 5 o’clock this morning a five-roomed house at Papatoetoe, owned by S. Green, of Ponsonby, and occupied by J. W. Deas, was totally destroyed by fire. The house was insured for £lOOO in the New Zealand Insurance Company. The cause of the outbreak is unknown. Mr Deas was alone in the house at the time, and was awakened by smoke, which had come through a ventilator in the roof. He found the kitchen full of smoke and in flames, and had time to save only a few personal effects.

LARGE STACK DESTROYED. AUCKLAND, March 3. A large stack containing between 30 and 40 tons of prime meadow hay standing on Fairmount Park farm, at Henderson, and owned by Mr Insley, of Swanson, was destroyed by fire in the early hours of this morning. It is supposed that the cause of the fire was the heating of the stack, resulting in spontaneous combustion, and so far as can be ascertained, there was no insurance on the hay. Mr. Insley acquired the crop from the owner of the farm while it was growing, and had cut and stacked it only four or five weeks ago.

JOINERY FACTORY BURNED. WELLINGTON, March 3. A two-storey joinery factory in Tennyson avenue, Taita, belonging to Messrs E. L. Fuge and W. M. Jackson, was totally destroyed by fire shortly after midnight last night. The building, machinery, and contents were valued at about £l3OO, the building being insured with the Royal Insurance Company for £9OO. The cause of the fire is unknown, and, owing to the district having no water supply, the Lower Hutt Fire Brigade, which was notified, could not Tender assistance, and did not attend.

HOUSE BURNED AT PORT CHALMERS At 2 p.m. on Thursday Port,'lCli aimers Fire Brigade was summoned to a fire in Bernicia street. The firemen discovered a five-roomed house ablaze, the flames shooting through the roof. A good water pressure was immediately available, but the fire was beyond control, and the house and its contents were destroyed. The building was owned, by. Mr F. R. Fordham, but he and his wife find family were away for the night. When they left, the placeat 7 o’clock the- previous evening everything was in the • usual good order. The house and furniture was insured for the small sum of £250 in the Norwich Union office.