ALARM OF FIRE

Patea Mail, Volume LIII, 11 March 1932, Page 2

ALARM OF FIRE

HAYSTACK BURNT,

The ringing of the fircbell on Wednesday afternoon and the sight of volumes of smoke pouring across Dorset Street in the vicinity of the hospital caused many in the tow r n to think that a disastrous outbreak of fire had occurred. On proceeding to the fire, hewever, it w r as found that the smoke was proceeding from a haystack belonging to Mr. D. Quickcndcn, situated in a borough reserve at the corner of Dorset and Stafford Streets. The Fire Brigade, in response to the alarm, proceeded to the scene of the fire, but by this time the fire had got a big hold of the stack and although the flames tverc extinguished, the stack was practically destroyed. The fire 'is supposed to have been caused by some boys who were smoking in the vicinity of the stack.

Yesterday morning the remains of the stack w T erc smouldering and later caught fire, with the result that the hay, which had been spread out to dry after the drenching it had received, was completely destroyed.