FIRE AT NORTHLAND.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 567, 23 July 1909, Page 6

FIRE AT NORTHLAND.

TWO HOUSES DESTROYED AND ONE DAMAGED. LACK OF WATER. A glow on tho sky to the wostward of the city about six o'clock last night caused a report to spread that there was a big fire raging in tho vicinity of Northland. A Dominion reporter, on going to the locality, found that two houses, situated just over tho blow of tho Noithland Hill, wore blazing furiously.

The firo originated in a si\-roomcd house occupied b\ 111. M P Simeon, and owned h) Mr A C Pearce About fi\e o'clock Mrs Simoon was working in one of. the front rooms of tho dwelling, 'having left somo clothes to dry on tho fireguard in the kitchon. On going into the kitchen sho noticed that tho clothe? were all ablaze, apparently having boon fired by a spark, for she was certain that they could not havo fallen on tho fire. Sho endeavoured to suppress tho flames by flinging a rug over tho clothes, but finding that this attompt was vam, she wont out to call assistance t Tho only porson in sight at the. tunc was a Chmamnn, who could not bo made to understand what tho trouble was A little later Mr. Simeon reached homo, with a Mr Birkett, who at onco went to summon tho Firo Brigade. Mr. Simeon meanwhile endeavoured, with the Chmamanjs assistanco, to save somo goods from the building, which was now well alight The Firo Brigade, with the motor chemical engine, woro quickly on tho scone, but since the houses were outsido tho citj water supply, area they wero hampered in thoir efforts to.stop tho flames by a lack of water, and had, to do their best with the chemical engine and buckets

Tho flames in. the moantime had spread to Mr L T Watkms's house on tho right, despito all the efforts of the bngado and the people who assisted theni ( \ drizzling rain did nothing to quench the'thirst of tho blaze, though it was fanned by only a light breeze, and before 7 o'clock the two buildings wero nothing more than a mass of smoking ruins A soven-roomed house owned and occupied by Mr A C and situated to tho left of Mr. Simeon's, was also for a time endangered, but tho 6pread of the fire was prevented by means of wot blankets hung on tho side of tho dwelling to catch any flying sparks, while water was pumped on to tho flames from the tanks of the house

The house owned and occupied by Mr Watkins (a member of the firm of Watkino, Tyer, and Tolan) was of si\ rooms, and was insured with tho Yorkshire Co for £450, a pohev of £200 in the South Bnt'sh covering the furniture Mr. Watkins estimates Ins loss on both house and furniture at about £350, outside the insurances

'.The' house which-,Mr. 'Pearco occupied was insured for ; £500' in 'the Yorkshire insurance ; •Col, and ,theone occupied by. Mr.: Simeon for. £450,".wtethbr/'in company or with the Atlas office.' is 'not yet known;' v-The loss? on ;: both ."'houses'- Mri; Pearce' to. be • about £350. '.; He. had no - insurance on , his furniture; ; but.MrV.,Simeon : h'ad. liis. 'insured •for, £150, in .the Alliance; office.. He .estimates his^losiß';'ait>abb^'• , '£22sv:.; ; who was.staying.wjthiMr. Simeon,'was foftu-'.-. nate in having -all= his 'effects saved.;'-' :.'.Mr.>Peafqe,;|s'Uhfortiihate:in. thematter of.'fires,:'jtor on; February '.-he w'as : :.burnt - duto'f another.house;-also.at,'Northland;: ;N' . -The. people ipf Northland 1 acted'with great, kindness, and tbbse who had suffered by tho' fire .had -no JackVof;-offers of shelter.".' Mr. L; ; TV Watkins"'desircs tb;thank; all the-•friends'; both'in "and'-. diit.; of ■< -'the'.'."''city, who'kiridly'; the l 'shelter' of-'.their''homes: .'■' '■■':'

AN OUTBREAK IN MANNERS STREET

At 6 45 p in , tho Brigade received a call to an auction room m Manners Street ownocl by the Bank of New Zealand, and occupied by H M Bortenshaw and Co , auctioneers and estate agents The outbreak was easily suppressed by means of the hand chemical engine The contents of the building wore insured for £400 with the Australian Alliance Co.