FIRES

Southland Times, Issue 19519, 19 May 1922, Page 6

FIRES

A DISASTROUS BLAZE. TOWNSHIP’S MAIN STREET SWEPT. (Per United Press Association.) TAUMARUNUI, May 18. A disastrous fire broke out early this morning at Kakahi. The fire started in E. O’Malley’s boardinghouse (owned by Miss Harrod, of Auckland), and next caught Endres’s general store. It then spread to the public hall. After the fire had obtained a substantial hold on the hall a small empty shop owned by H. Fraser was knocked to pieces by residents. This provided a gap over which the fire could not leap. Everybody’s Theatre and a shop belonging to Fraser are- the only buildings left standing in the main street of Kakahi. There is no fire brigade at Kakahi, the residents working strenuously with buckets io suppress the conflagration. Had there been a wind the whole street undoubtedly would have been wiped out. O’Malley’s boarding house was valued at £2OOO and was insured for £9OO. The Kakahi Hall, including Entire’s shop, was valued at £l4OO and insured for £5OO. The stock in Endre’s shop was valued at £lOOO and insured for £6OO. Mrs Robertson had £lOO insurance on a stock of groceries in a small store attached to the boarding house, her loss is £3OO.

BOARDING HOUSE DESTROYED. HASTINGS, May 18. A twelve-roomed boardinghouse in Karamu read, owned by Mrs E. Phillips and occupied by Mrs K. Bedford, was burnt to the ground this morning. The occupants, Mrs Bedford, two young children, and a boarder, escaped only in their night clothes. LARGE RESIDENCE DESTROYED. GREYMOUTH, May 17. A first last evening destroyed a 13-roomed house at Brunnerton, occupied by Mr Hothersoll, manager of the New Tyneside proprietary, and its contents. The origin is unknown. No water was available. There was a small insurance on the building, which was recently renovated.