FIRE IN DEVON STREET.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 4115, 19 August 1882, Page 2

FIRE IN DEVON STREET.

St. ANDREW'S CHURCH DESTROYED. At 1.15 this morning, Constable Roche, who was on duty in Devon-street, discovered that St. Andrew's Church was on fire. He gave the alarm, and the fire-bell was rung immediately afterwards. It was fully ten minutes, however, before persons began to arrive at the scene of the fire. Constable Roche and Mr, J. C. George were the first to take action. The constable discovered that the fire had commenced at the vestry, and he broke open the Church door, in order to make an attempt to extinguish the flames or save some of the church property. On opening the door, however, the intense heat drove him back, and, although he made repeated attempts, he failed to gain admission. Meanwhile, a large number of spectators had arrived, and, as it was quite a hopeless task to attempt to save the Church, attention was directed to Mr. Pitt's house adjoining, which was in imminent danger of catching fire. A body of energetic hands was soon organised, some of whom ascended the roof, while others procured buckets of water, which were passed up by means of a rope to those on the roof. Mr. McGonagle appeared in the front rank, and he showed great endurance while on that part of the roof nearest the burning building. Although the heat must have been intense where he and Mr. Robinson were, surrounded with sparks and smoke, yet they did not flinch from their position until the building was out of danger. Constable Roche was also most active, and he had his coat literally burned off his back. The outhouses adjoining the fence were well saturated with water, and part of the fence was destroyed in order to prevent the flames communicating with Mr. Pitt's shop. While the men were busily engaged in this manner, the spectators stood watching the shurch being; consumed by the flames. The devouring element spread rapidly from the north end of the building towards the south, and the roof fell in with a crash. The belfry was the last part of the building to fall, and it descended with a clang, carrying with it the bell from its elevated position. The ornamental trees in front of the church offered a good screen from the fire, being too dense for the sparks and flames to penetrate, and on this account the buildings on the opposide of the street were perfectly secure from all danger. The fire engine was not brought up to the fire, we presume by some mistake, as it would have been very useful in defending Mr. Pitt's shop from the flames, and would have rendered the work a less arduous one than it was to those who did battle on the roof. We noticed several of the firemen present in uniform working hard to arrest the progress of the flames. Mr. Pitt's furniture was partly removed, but it was soon brought back, as all danger had happily been averted. During the removal Mr. Pitt lost a purse containing £15, which was under his pillow, but it was restored to him this morning intact. The church was insured in the name of Moses Somes Breach for £400 in the Viotoria Office, but wo learn the trustees of the church have lodged a protest this morning against the money being paid to Mr. Breach on the ground that he has no legal interest in the building. The trustees are alone the legally constituted owners of the property, which they hold in trust for the congregation. We can see no shadow of doubt that the fire was the act of an incendiary, and we hope the police will be successful in finding some clue to the perpetrator of such a cowardly and malicious act. The lives of the residents adjacent to the church were jeopardised by this dastardly action, and if there are persons in our midst guilty of such an atrocious crime the sooner they are brought to justice the better it will be for the community at large. It was reported yesterday to the Trustees and the Committee that certain persons had obtained the key of the church door, and had entered the church in the morning. As the persons had no authority whatever to obtain the key or to enter the church in the manner they did, the Trustees ordered a new lock to be put on the door in order to prevent the persons referred to again obtaining access to the building. A new lock was accordingly I put on and the building made secure against the entry of any intruders. This was done at about noon, and one of the Trustees visited the building at 3 o'clock in the afternoon to see that all was secure. This was the last person to visit the building, as far as has been ascertained, and he reports that everything was then safe. Who the persons are to whom suspicion points, it is not in our province to state ; but we hope the police will not be satisfied until a most searching enquiry has been instituted. The protection of the public demands this, as life and property have been endangered by the malicious and wilful act of some person or persons.