ESCAPE FROM FIRE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19138, 6 October 1936, Page 4

ESCAPE FROM FIRE

TWO YOUNG GIRLS BURNING HOTEL BUILDING DESTROYED Two young girls narrowly escaped with their lives when the Kamo Hotel, about, three miles from Whangarei, was totally destroyed by fire on Saturday night. Practically all the contents of the building were lost. The two girls are Jean Bryden, aged 12' years, and Valina. Bryden. aged 8, daughters of the owner and licensee, Mr. \V. I‘. Bryden. The children were in their rooms in the second storey shortly after 8 o’clock preparing for bed when the elder said she could smell smoke. They saw whisps of smoke coming through the. floor, and, alarmed, began to scream. Mrs. Bryden, who answered 1 the . children’s cries, could see no signs of fire, but the children, who were bare-footed, complained that the floor was becoming hot.

Investigations were made by Mr. Bryden, who found that in the room immediately below the bedroom a hot water cupboard near the chimney was in flames. The bedroom above was soon blazing. The children escaped in their night attire'. '

There was no water supply or fire brigade in Kamo, and no immediate effort was possible to check the fire. The Whdngarei Fire Brigade was summoned, and although it was soon on the scene the fire had a good hold. The 40 gallons of water carried by the fireengine was immediately used, and a bucket brigade organised to carry the water from an adjacent horse, trough.

Thirteen main electric power lines, between Auckland, Whangarei and the far north were interrupted, hut the Post and Telegraph Department had communication restored on Sunday morning.

The building was insured for £5270. the furniture and personal effects for £SOO, and the stock of hay, which was also destroyed, for £4OO.