BOOM DESTROYED

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20892, 25 August 1939, Page 6

BOOM DESTROYED

FIRE IN BRIDGE STREET FANNED BY HIGH BREEZE FIREMAN'S NARROW ESCAPE Fanned by a high breeze, an outbreak of fire completely destroyed one large room and damaged several other* in a seven-roomed storey and a-half house in Bridge Street shortly after 10 o'clock last night. The building, a large wooden structure, is owned by Mr J. Moody. Nobody was at home at the time of the outbreak. The alarm was given at 10.17 p.m. by Mr A. Kilburn. who lived near by, and two machines from the Hamilton Fire Brigade were rushed to the scene. The outbreak had occurred in the front room of the house and by the time the brigade arrived the flames, assisted by the breeze, were sweeping into the body of the building and were leaping high from the roof. Smart work by the brigade confined the fire to the front part of the building but after the flames were extinguished it was found that other rooms had suffered a great deal from heat and smoke. One room and its contents occupied by Mr Moody were completely destroyed, while the rooms occupied by Mr 11. J. Ferguson, were badly damaged. A fortunate escape from serious Injury was experienced by Fireman \V. Raker when his helmet came into contact with n Use electric wins which dropped from the house. A sudden flash shot out from the helmet, but apart from shock the fireman suffered no injury.

The building was insured with the National Insurance Company and the contents with the British Traders’ Company. No details are available.