FIRE AT WAIMEA WEST.

Colonist, Volume XL, Issue 8855, 3 May 1897, Page 2

FIRE AT WAIMEA WEST.

BURSTING OP A KEROSENE LAMP.

A NARROW ESCAPE.

We regret to learn that the dwellinghouse of Mr J. W. Claridge, bootmaker, of Waimea West, was totally destroyed by fire on Saturday evening between five and six o'clock. It seems that Mrs Claridge was engaged washing tea things when the kerosene lamp used by her burst, and some of the burning oil was thrown on to her dress. Mrs Claridge called out to her husband, who was at the stable neat at hand, and he ran to his wife's assistance, and with some difficulty extinguished the flumes on her clothing, but not before the front of the skirt of the dress to the waist had been burned out. Fortunately Mrs Claridge was not injured beyond some slight burns on the arms, though naturally she suffered considerably from the shook, and there can be no doubt that but for assistance being so near at hand she would not have escaped with her life. While Mr Claridge was engaged saving bis wife the flames in the house were unchecked, and by the time that he was able to leave Mrs Claridge the fire had so strong a hold that it was impossible to do more than remove as much of the furniture as possible from the other rooms. The blazing oil had spread all round, setting fire to the room in different places, the window curtains had carried the flames to the ceiling, and the fire had got between the two walls, so that it would have been mere waste of time to endeavor to extinguish it. Some furniture was taken out of the downstairs rooms — there was no time to go to the upper rooms— but the heavy rain that fell damaged much of what was got out. The house was completely consumed, the chimneys alone remaining. Mr Claridge is a very heavy loser, as his furniture was uninsured, and the only insurance on the house was £100 in the South British office. Some years ago, when keeping the Waimea West Hotel, Mr Claridge had the misfortune to be burned out and then lost all his effects. The lamp that exploded was a new one, having been purchased only on the Monday previous.