HOUSE PARTLY GUTTED

Chronicle (Levin), 14 March 1949, Page 4

HOUSE PARTLY GUTTED

Brigade Makes Timely Save In Sunday Night Fnre The kitchefi and hall hf a Afive roomed house in Princes Street, Levin, were badly gutted when fire broke out in the dwelling last night. Fortunsltely the local brigade was able to subdue the flames before greater. damage resulted. But for Ihe prompt .and efficient haiidling pf the blaze, the house would! have undoubtedly been*razed. The house, which is a wooden bungalow, is owned by Watts Motors,. Ltd., and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. K. Watts. Mr. Watts and his family were! in Palmerston North when the outbreak occurred, 'Mr. ' Watts having driven one of the company's buses through on the last run of the day. The alarnr was given by a neighbour at 8.45 p.m. at which time the, flames had gained a strong hold and were beginning to br'eak through the eaves . of the roof. ,/v The brigade arrived promptly and, under the direction of Deputy Superintendent A. Mudgiway, a length of hpse was directea through the rear kitchen windoW and one through a side window sin a successful endeavour to confine the fiames to the rear part of the dwelling. A large crowd soon gath- | ered and there was a tcnse i moment when some of the onlook^ ers expressed the helief that ther.e were children in the front room of the dwelling. The window was smashed by firemen, -who went. iit to investigate biit found the rooih. nnnp.p.unied. Within a few minutes

the brigade had the fire under control and after it was extinguished two firemen were detailed to an allnight vigil. . ' „ .

This morning tne mu signmcance of the firemen's task was apparerit, and it is to their credit tnat the house was not destroyed. The kitchen, which appeared to be Ihe seat of the fire, was badly' gutted an electric - refrigerator being one of the items completely 'destroyed. The hall was also badly- charred, but the front and bedrooms escaped almost undamaged. The ceilings of two of tfie rooms suffered from smoke, but remarkably the water ^ damage ; to these rooms was negligible. ' • It is understood that the house t and furnishings were insured. TJie cause of the outhreEik is xs ,ye« unknown.