FIRE AT DAY’S BAY

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 188, 6 May 1940, Page 8

FIRE AT DAY’S BAY

Nature’s Contribution To Fighting. Flames An opportune heavy shower of rain on Saturday afternoon helped fire bribadesmen and city council employees to got an extensive gorse fire at Day’s Bay under control. The fire started about 5 p.m., and spread up the slopes north of the bay, toward Ferry Road. Several houses were temporarily endangered; the occupants of one collected their valuables in case they had to make a sudden exit. In the path of the fire was a partly-erected house and some timber stacked near it for use in the construction was partly destroyed. The fire made a dense smoke, and for a time it was impossible to see more than an arm’s length ahead, or to negotiate Ferry Road. Mr. W. Dick, the custodian of Williams Park, and several others of the staff, did good work pending the arrival of the Eastbourne Volunteer Fire Brigade, and prevented a spread of the fire to the park. Then came the rain, too, and man and nature combined made short work of the fire. The burnt-out area was smouldering yesterday morning, but heavy showers put a etop to this.