DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT THE PORT.

Colonist, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11686, 23 July 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT THE PORT.

MR. BLEOHYNDEN A HEAVY

LOSER.

About half-past six o'clock on July 2nd an eight-roomed house at the Port, near the Cliffs, owned by Mr H. Rainier, now of Picton, and occupied by Mr Blechynden, was burned to the ground. Mr Blechynden is a recent arrival from the East, and has purchased a property in Brougham street from Mr W. W. Clifford, meantime, while his own house is being enlarged he has resided in Mr Rainier's house. Last evening Mr Blechynden lighted an oil heater and placed it in the bathroom in order to warm the room. Some little time later one of the household gave the alarm that fire had broken out in the bathroom, and the fire spread very quickly, no adequate means ot extinguishing it beiug available. When the Fire Brigade arrived the pressure of water was quite inadequate for the occasion, and the building was burned to the ground. Mr Kaisier is believed to be insured, and Mr Blechynden is partially insured, but his loss will be very hea^y, as but little was saved, and in the way of personal effects, jewellery, etc. , the loss is one that cannot be made good. Mr Irvine Brown's new house adjoining had a narrow escape, and had there been wind from the south-west this building in the absence of a sufficient force of water in all probability would also have been destroyed. The firebells gave an inadequate alarm as far as the eastern part of the town was concerned, but we learn that at the station bell tower one of the ropes parted, thus preventing the bell being rung more than, a moment.