FIRE IN BELL STREET.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 5307, 13 March 1884, Page 2

FIRE IN BELL STREET.

The immunity from fires so Ions; enjoyed by Wunganui was this morning broken. At 1.35 a.m. the town firebell rang out, the watchman having heard the Keith Street alarm. The scene of the fire was Mr B. Peyman's residence, in Bell Street. The portion of the dwellinghouse burnt down' was of wood, with a partly shingle and partly iron roof. The remainder of the house ia a brick structure . From what we can learn the particulars are as follows. Mr B. Peyman and his wife retired to bed about 10 o'clock, and Mr J. Peyman was left reading on the couch. The latter read till about 11 o'clock, when he went to bed, his bedroom being in the new portion of the residence. About 1.30, Mr B. Peyman awoke with a suffocating sensation, and looking out of hia window saw the old house in flames. He immediately gave the alarm to those in the house, and, dressing, proceeded to the back to ascertain whether the new portion was in any danger. Mr J. Peyman meanwhile ran out and gave the alarm, and his wife roused some of the neighbours. The Keith Street Brigade were on the ground in less than five minutes from the first alarm, and had one length of hose at work in a few minutes. The town Brigade arrived on the scene shortly after. The fire had by this time a complete hold of the building, and the efforts of the Brigade were directed to saving the new portion, the fire having entered at the top of the roof. All danger was soon past, but not before the old portion had been completely ruined, The apartments in the destroyed portion consisted of a bedroom, sitting room, kitchen, and scullery. The fire fe supposed to have originated in the sitting room, as there are evidences of the fire having been strongest there. The chimney was this morning examined with a view of ascertaining whether it could be in any way the cause of the conflagration, but the opinion of those inspecting was against this view, though the chimney was very badly made. Some of the residents in Keith Street state that they were returning home a few minutes before the bell rang, and there were then no signals of fire ; but when the signal was given, the flames were shooting up through the roof. The damage done to the new portion of the house is very trifling. The heat broke one glass-panelled door in the sitting-room, and the top of the roof is a little charred, The insurances are — On the house (old portion) £100, and the new portion (including furniture) £250 in the London and Lancashire Office. 'Mr J. Peyman's furniture was covered Fy a policy in the Northern Insurance Company for £50. The Fire Brigades are to be congratulated on their speedy arrival at the fire, and the members of the Salvage Corps were not far behind them. Captain Cummins states that he hea-d the first stroke of the Keith Street bell, and the warning from the watch-tower came only a few second." later. This efficient system of signalling speaks volumes for the organisation of the Wanganui Fire Brigade.