OUTBREAKS OF FIRE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17527, 23 July 1931, Page 6

OUTBREAKS OF FIRE

TWO COUNTRY HOUSES ALARMS IN THE BOROUGH Two houses wore destroyed by tire in the country daring the past few days, one at Ormond and the other at Makauri. Jn addition, two alarms took the Gisborne, Fire Brigade out, but their services were not required. At first, members of the Brigade thought that an alarm (received on Moiuiay evening was a false one. T lie brigade was at practice when the alarm was given, and the siren was not sounded. When they arrived at the intersection of Cobdon street and Gladstone road expecting to li;icl a blaze, they were disappointed. Then they received the inlormation that the person who hacl given the alarm had moved on. The firemen thought they had been the subject of a deliberate hoax, and endeavored to trace the offender, but without result. The position was explained to them, however, after they had returned to the station. A man arrived to tell ‘Superintendent Kane that lie had noticed flames proceeding from a chimney of a house, but that after he had returned from the nearest alarm box there was not the slightest trace of fire. Accordingly lie had moved on. The second alarm was given shortly after 6 o’clock last evening, but again the, brigade s services were not required. Mr. C. L. Ferguson’s, car, which had been left standing in front of Le Grand Lounge, had caught tire. The flame?, confined to the engine, were promptly extinguished. A seven-roomed house at Makauri was completely destroyed by tire on Monday night during live absence of the occupants. 'I bis was the residence of Mr. L. A. Osmond. When the blaze was noticed by neighbors, tile whole house was in flames, -and nothing could be done to save, any of the contents. The building was insured in the Union office for £6OO, and the contents were covered lor £3OO in the same office. BLAZE AT ORMOND A practically new five-roomed house situated about a quarter of a mile beyond the Oflmond School was totally destroyed, with its. contents, by fire on ■Tuesday night, and it is understood that the owner and occupier,' Mr. G. McKay, will be a heavy loser. Mr McKay was attending a social evening when the outbreak occurred, and his wile and their,three.young children were in bed. Mrs. McKay was aroused by the sound of something falling in the rear of the' house, and on leaving her room she discovered that the kitchen -and dining-room were ablaze. Mrs. McKay was compelled to make a hurried’ exit with the children, and of their property nothing was saved but a mattress and a few odds and ends, the building being razed to the ground. ,

The house was insured in the State Fire Office for £SOO. and the contents; with the New Zealand Insurance Co. for £l6O. .1 he fire is believed to have originated in th<> kitchen,, but the cauSe has net been determined.