A BIG BLAZE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 510, 18 May 1909, Page 6

A BIG BLAZE.

, TH REB HOUSES BURNT AT ORIENTAL BAY. ' BLUEJACKETS TO THE RESCUE. TWO MEN INJURED. ' The ,oity, was alarmed' yesterday afternoon by, the outbreak of a largo fire in Onontal Bay, and a glance across the harbour in that ' direction at about 320 p.m. at onco revealed ( > the fact that a fire of large dimensions was , v raging among tho pretty cluster of housoe that overlook the contro of tho Bay from tho ' hillside. A great banner of pure flame flow ', obovo the doomed houses, and seemed to sen- \ oualy threaten tho bmldinga a littlo higher I 1 op. These would assuredly have gone had tho wind been "V little stronger, but even ae -. the'fire raged the breeze died down, and all danger on that score was averted. ' On''inquiry it was found that the houses ■• occupied by Mr R B Powmll, Mrs O'Bnen, and Mr. M'Lean wero burnt to the ground, j and a fourth house m tho same row (situated in Bridge's Avenue, off Hay Street) occuCl by Captain O'Neill, of the Harbour rd'a dredge 'Whakann, was slightlj damaged by fire v That it was saved was a Biiraelo, as it was only a few feet away from „ one which was consumed to tho last stick ' " Mrs O'Neill, who seemed to bo the first ha notice the outbreak, said sho noticed smoke curling up between Mr Pownall's and tho house occupied ,bj Mr. M'Lean. She rushed into Mr Pownall's and knocked at the door, but receiving no answer she went to another neighbour's, and gave the alarm When sho got back the fire had got a firm hold,of Mr. Pownall's house, and as thew v 1 ■ was no means of checking it tho flames, fanned by a breeze from tho harbour, Bpread to "Mrs O'Brien's seven-roomed house on the ono Bide, and Mr M'Loan's *■- six-roomed residence on tho other. ~' An Unfortunate Mistake. < \ Buch" Has the position when the brigade '•J arrived!, Having received tho aiarm troni 1 is: ' Hawker ' Street, tho fire-motor climbed the *'A tall, only to hnd that the outbreak ivas '" m Oriental Hay, and in that manner somo V little tune was lost, during which the firo 2 % inade the mosfj of it 3 advantage, and by tne time the bngadesmen had retraced their tracks, and sped round Clyde Quay to the , Bay, and run a lead up that precipitous Si thoroughfaro known as Hay Street, the firo /, lad assumed serious dimensions, and 1 ahcady the skeleton of the middle house £ (Mr. Pownall's) was showing at intervals v through th 6 flames '1 .Fortunately there iva* a good pressure of water. To the Wainui eupply was added „' the weight of Karon, and this gave onough ~* pressuro for a couple of leads that wore concentrated on saving the fourth house m ~ the row, then still untouched Meanwhile J; ' anxious helpers had assisted Mrs O'Brien to remove most of her furniture and valu•s ( ables Nothing at all was saved from Mr V ' Pownall's, and little if anything, from Mr. M'Jbcan's. AH tho furniture was temoved ►,( from Captain O'Neill's house, but a good T-i number of articles were damaged by the 3 l i«ngh handling they received ff'l . s ' The Probable Cause. i.'i The firo undoubtedly broke out in tho sevenroomed two-storey house owned and occupied >i" by Mr. and Mrs RB. Pownall, the second w ' house m a row of four, reckoning from west ,to east, Mrs Pownall told a Dominion re--1 ' porter that sho shut up the house, and f went down to at about 3 o'clock, ' leaving the fire alight in the latcheu, 1, • with Bomo clothmg ainng beforo it t \ as she thought,, perfectly safe, flalf-an-j' hour later she was told that her houso was h on hre Sbo could notf account m any way ,t- for the outbreak All she saved was what „ she stood up m Mr Pownall waa urtown i" 1 when the fire broke out. He was called to /<-< tho Bay by a telophono message. Ho had "*•'' no'theory as to how the fire had originated j Mr. Pownall is district agent for the Yorkshire Insurance Company Mra. O'Bnen is a widowed lady. Her sevenroomed two-storied house, which was totally j destroyed, was 1 tho nearest one in the row ' to May Street., As Boon as tho alarm was raised a start was made to remove the fur- , mture, the greater which was saved 1 though there was not time to savo aIL With Mrs O'Bnen. resided her son-in-law and , daughter, Lieut and Mrs Mickle, who were also losers by the fixe. Mr. l M'Loan, who the third , house demolished by tho flames, is a retired ■ fanner. He lost everything. ''',<"' ( Bluejackets Assist. ' Welcome assistance was rendered by a 1 eontmgent of bluejackets from H.M S. Chali lenger, under Lieut. Grubb On tho fire being seen from tbe warship, orders wero is- , sued , for the watch on deck to proceed to v •,. the ■iccno and render any assistance that ' jnight be necessary. They filled a cutter, a. gig, and a dinghy, and came bowling across the harbour at a great rate. There was no , waiting for ,the boate to be beaehedi As soon as tho boats touched all hinds leaped overboard in icy water that reached to their hips,' waded ashore, formed into two, and doubled merrily'.up Hay Street. Nor did 1 they forget their hatchets, hammers, and Bans. Under intelligent control thoy guarded ' the, hoses, helpgd to carry removed furniture to safety, and pulled and hacked at the burning fabno'to allow the hoses to do theit best work. They were particularly activo in subduing the 1 fire that was eating ite nnder the caves 'of Captain.' O'Neill's housed and their efforts, combined with thoso of. v our hard-working brigade, undoubtedly saved that structure from the flames. Statement by' Superintendent O'Brien. Superintendent O'Bnen informed a Dox ' MIMON reporter that thero wero 29 members ' Euro Bngide on the scene, besides a pds§& of fire police under Lioutenant Cusack. Two motors, two reels, and one steamer i went out to the fire The first alarm reached the station at 3 5 p m. frohi a street box in Hawker Street It was inferred that tho fire was in Hawker Street, and some delay was caused by the brigade going in tho first instance to'that elevated thoroughfaro, and r r Tetracing_ its stop 3 when the actual locality 1 of the tuo became known. A second call was received from Clyde Quay at 3 5 p m., and a third from Hay Street at 3.10 p m On reaching the firo, two heads ofjioso wore brought to bear, one from the mam which runs along the Oriental Bay Road, and ono from tho small main running up Hay , Street. * The water pressure was good, especially considering that the houses were probably 200 r feet abovo the harbour. A thousand feet 'of hose wero required for the lead from *~„ Onental Bay, tho'hoso having to bo takon l " through gardons and over houses. j Losses and Insurance. The following are particulars of tho buildings destroyed and the insurances.— w sNo 27, Bridgo Avenuo, owned and occupied by Air. It B Pownall, 7 rooms, insured in the State Fire Insurance Oflico for , , £700, contents in the Yorkshire Office for £200. House and contents totally destrojed. No. 20, owned and occupied bj Mrs Kate O'Brien, seven rooms, houso insured for £600, office unknown; contents for £200, of- > fico unknown. Building totally destroyed; contents partially rescued. 'No. 29, sovon rooms, owned and occupied by Mr. Henry Salter, building insured for £550 in tho Standard oflico, contonts uninsured. Building totally and contonts partially destroyed. 7 No. 31, owned by Mr. H SaKor, occupied by Captain O'Neill; <ax rooms, bu'kung in- * surod in the Standard office for £500, insurance on contents unknown. Tho Bido wall ' of this houso was considerably damaged, as also were an upstairs bedroom and the roof over it. The contents of tho houso sustained somo damage by hasty removal A Falling Chimney. ' At 1 p-m., when a squad of firemen noclor i Foreman M'Loan were finislung off, ono of I tho ohimneye fell (ind injured two of tho men Foreman M'Lean was struck on the back, but was not sononsly mjarcd. Ho ' returned to his station at Newtown Tho other man, James Thomas Biggs, sustained a scalp wound, injuries to bis back, and bruises. At the instanco of Dr. Mackin, who attended both men. ho was sent to tha.

hospital,?; Biggs is .'2l.years'of age, .and' his ..injuries- ar6<'nbt>regsrdetras "serious. , ■;■■.' -■;. S; : '-r.; :; Child, ■;;■■■',v : ;A' ; : ; ':; 3A ! ;ob]l(3i ;Leslae;Bowdeh,'' aged 6 years, residing at ,63 Brougham .Street, was. •run-.;over' and. ; injured- by.-'a.hose reel:,at; the vcornerfi'of, Clyde..-: Quay :>and < .Mojoribanks Street,-.-: Superintendent O'Brien-states'that, the tire motor had turned up;-thestreet,' and .the:bby■';ran; out.'into the>. roadway to.watch rfc out-of .sight.'. The^hose reel came 'along just behind,' and 'before .the. driver could pull up' the little "iollow. had been run over. The resulfrwas afraetured thigh. He was. taken •to. the hospital. .: .. ■ ' . ■ ; . .-..' . ;;r ;;?":;■ JFIEE Pty-jTIRANCE.. ,'•■; ' '■'■'. If. your, property is" not insured, call at or ring .; up ' the Guardian .Assurance Co., Ltd.,.' 25 Manama ■Street.-.' Established, in ( New Zealand- over 30yea'rs'.' R. J. White, Manasor. Telephone 2519. W.and G. Ttirnbull and' Co., General-Agents, Telephone 93. Inspections made,and rates quoted free tff charge. Total .Assets.'Cxcecd:>£6,soo,()op.. ..; . ■>. -.■.- 8194 / i < ,-. -',-" ':K'-The;".fiTe.--.bell-' ringsV'.out its brazen alarm, and hundreds of anxious and careless people ask where.; is the- fire, fearful that it may bp in their own homes or place of business. The cafeful man makes the best provision possible against fire by using Chubb's fireproof strongroom'doors .aid; safes; to hold his valuables in: ■ He'knows from experience-that they'are safe. Ghnbb's- fireproof- safes -have- stood the severest tests,.and .withstand the fiercest-fire. , .There is no-need. for alarm if you have a Chubb. Mr. James Dykes, of Gaultef.. Dykes and C 0.,. Fea-. therston Street,-is.attorney in New Zealand for Chubb aHd Son.—Advt. . . . . ■;