FIRES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7088, 2 May 1901, Page 3

FIRES.

A NARROW ESCAPE.

PROMPTITUDE OF AN ARABIAN WOMAN.

Shortly after eleven o'clock this morning fee broke out in a four-roomed cottage at the ; corner of Horatio and Stewart Streets, and occupied by a Mis W. Kennedy. Mr Kennedy, who is deaf and blind, and a little child were alone in the house, and would undoubtedly have been burnt alive but for the prompt aotion of an Arabian woman, a hawker, who, hearing the child scream, land seeing smoke coming from the house, burst in toe door and carried the child ou&. Mr Kennedy was then rescued by some, neighbours, but not before his hair and beard had been Wh«n the -brigades arrived, the house was completely gutted, and before tho water could be got on only a few uprights were left standing. Nothing of the furniture was saved. The house waa the property of Mrs Robertson, Montreal Street, Sydenham. It is thought tha* a spark from the kitchen fireplace ignited the woodwork, as Mrs Kennedy had gone out and! left » smallfire burning. I ■-,■..«. While iihe brigades werf engaged <at *his fire, an alarm was given from a street a block away, behind the West Christchuwh school, and a chemical engine was despatched to the scene, whero it was found that a spark'from the firt in Horatio Street had caught the shingle roof of another cottage, but it was put out in a few minutes by the firemen.