OHAKUNE CONFLAGRATION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14449, 8 November 1917, Page 6

OHAKUNE CONFLAGRATION.

FIRE-FIGHTERfe' PLIGHT.

SCARCELY ANY WATER AVAIL- ' . ABLE.

OHANOE OF* WIND' WOULD HAVE

CAUSED CLEAN SWEEP,

(Per Pres." Association.) : '■'•■■ TAIILIPE, last night. Half an hour after the alarm was given the Ohakune streets were alive with people. i «• A, band of volunteer fire-fighters was quickly : prganised, but the only water available .^tas a creek nearby. The angry flatoes leaped from building to building and high into the air, brilliantly illuminating the surrounding landscape and endangering buildings a distance away. Had the wind changed the whole settlement would have been wiped out. ■■■■'•'•,''.

'After the fire-la*den wind had lapped up all the buildings m its course, it reached over to the., bush, whichi is still burning* lni£ not; menacingly. The fire originated m th,e defence gymnasium, but the actual cause is not

kiiqwn., - ; The. insurances, so far as obtainable

Mi- Lyttle : £450' 0n the building and £300 oii- the" stock, m the Liverpool, London, arid Globe office. ' ' ' Mr Gould: £100 on the building and £150 on "the furniture, m the Norwich Union. ' ' ••' :

Mr Forsythj : £350 m the Guardian office and £200 m the British Dominions on the stock and furniture.

Mrs Hook : £100. on the stock m the ISun office. '' - /

Mrßutler: £350 on the doling and £2CO on the stock m the Guaraten "office.

iCoffey's. billiard, room and cbiltents : £350 m the Guardian office." •-" .Mr Turner: £150 m the Guardian office.

Mr Cunningham : £480 m tlie United office. ...