TARIKI HOUSE DESTROYED

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1929, Page 6

TARIKI HOUSE DESTROYED

FIERCE BLAZE IN SMALL HOURS, Fire totally destroyed an old fourroomed house on the Alain ..Road at Tariki early on Sunday morning. The occupier, Mr. G. Hucker, who was awakened by the crackling of the burning timber, had only time to escape in night attire through a window. Air. Hucker’ stated that he had had a.fire in the kitchen on Saturday evening, when he had been cleaning, up preparatory to his wife coming honm in a few days’ time. He had retired in a back bedroom and believes that the fire started either there or in the kitchen. When he awoke the flames were licking around his bed and he had to make, a hurried exit, having no time to save any valuable, amongst which were some much-prized war medals. A Daily News representative was on the scene shortly after 2 a.m. and the building, which was 40 years old, was then a raging inferno. The small knot of people gathered around the fire were impotent, owing to their being no water available. Some of those present had passed the house. at midnight, when there was no sign of . fire. The house was owned by Air. E; Mahan, who lived next door, but the insurance on it was not available. The furniture and effects, of Air. Hucker were insured for £2OO.