FIRE IN BRIDGE STREET.

Colonist, Volume XXVII, Issue 3880, 29 March 1884, Page 1 (Supplement)

FIRE IN BRIDGE STREET.

... Aiotti<e before:3\a*m on .iMarchi ,13th,, a fire lirote" out at Psiscpe,'f3 /Orator, in, 'Bridije-^r^ir^ta'--ifc J Mb ui almost at once jbb'served by the police, who giVe f:thr e'i al'arni: Froni the statement of Constable Chisholm it appears that Constable Kogera ran to ring

the five bell at the Police Station 'whilst ho hastened to discover whether 'Mr Pascoe's family, who resided in the building, were still within. He states that after getting into the building he went to -the top of the staircase, and receiving no response to his call, ho retreated. At' that timo there was very little fire above stairs, and he concluded that the fire originated downstairs, and in the centre of' the building. ■ On descending the stairs he was met by Mr Pascoe, and from him he learnt ■ that Mrs Pascoe'and the two children had escaped froth upstairs by getting out of a back window, I and making their way down a lean-to. From Mr Pascoe we learn that he retired to rest at 'about half-past twelve, and that when he awoke the room was full of smoke, and he at once got his wife and children out at the back 'window, which he knocked' out.' Mr James Graham, whose residence and place of business is separated from Paseoe's by a narrow cartway only, was awakened by hearing Mrs Pascoe screaming, and he ran at once into the road, shouting " Fire 1" and proceeded to see whether the inmates of the burning house were safe. After satisfying himself on that-score, his efforts were needed for the protection of his own premises, which we may here state have sustained no further injuiy than a scorching. In a very shoit time after the alarm was given water -was got to play on the burning building, and in a brief space the fire was beaten out, notwithstanding the fact that it had spread very .rapidly. 'The building was'the'property of Mr; Pascoe, •ancV both it and the furniture-were, insured; 'As: to the amount of- insurance we cannot speak with certainty,'.as'thbsej iul; terested were .naturally... somewhat excited;! Mr Pascoe, however, stated that the building; waa ittsurM'in'ttie Standard- for £200, and the furniture in the Australian Mutual for: £-150/-but 'we'f-'afterwardS- heard Ltnat it wus further insured. In, connectioniwith the fire; ,we must again^calli attention to the wretched arrangement for pinging ,the bell iaiWaimea street. Last,night; .two;, men could not ring the bell, and, until one had climbed tonthe top, no proper alarm could be given.; ;>■;,;•..>;,.