BOARDINGHOUSE BURNI

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 44, 21 February 1935, Page 6

BOARDINGHOUSE BURNI

OCCUPANTS’ HASTY EXIT ( Per Press Association ). ASHBURTON, Feb. 20. Twenty seven people made a hasty exit, from the two-storied wooden Prince Albert boardinghouse in Willis Street at 6.30 this morning, when a lire swept the building. Flames were discovered in the kitchen and in ten minutes the whole structure was a ball of fire. The boarders, roused from their sleep, made their way down a blazing staircase, pictures falling about them as they ran. One man’s face was scorched. A very old man got out. with great difficulty. Another boarder fell to the ground when the tire burnt. through Ihe rope with which he was sliding from a window. Several boarders lost sums of money, one having £35 in notes under a pillow. The. money and watch of another was recovered from a charred mattress after the fire. The building was 60 years old and the brigade were unable to do anything to save it and concent rated on the wooden Mission building next door, which was severely blistered and scorched. Ou lhe other side a butcher shop owned by Mr. C. H. S. Samuels, who was also lhe occupier of the boaidinghouse, look lire, and considerable damage was done. The hoardinghouse was owned by Mrs. Elizabeth Coulter, of Belfast, Ireland The insurances were £450 on the building and £l5O on the furniture. »oth in th<J Norwich L’niorw.