FIRE.— FOUR HOUSES DESTROYED.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3905, 25 January 1884, Page 3

FIRE.— FOUR HOUSES DESTROYED.

Auckland, This day.

A fire broke out at 3 o'clock this morning , in Kybev Pass, resulting , in the destruction of four houses forming part of a block in View road, off Mount Eden road. The fire originaied in an empty house owned by Mr McDell, a warder in the gaol, and speedily spread to his own residence adjacent, a two-storey house. There being no proper appliances for extinguishing the fire, it rapidly extended to the house of Mr Avery, builder, in the occupation of Mr Matthews, and thence to Mr Cooper's. The fifth house in the row was that of Mr Stevens, and the sixth, occupied by Mr Martin, and owned by Mr Reed, and these seemed likely to go. The former had caught fire, but the Fire Brigade made use of the hand engine and tho baby engine, getting water from an adjacent -well, and also from the house reservoir of Mr Robert Pearce, and by that means arrested the progress of tho flames, Mr Steven's house only being partly damaged. The empty house in which the fire originated was insured by M'Dell for £200 in the South British, and the house he occupied for £350, but part of his furniture was saved. Mr Avery's house was insured in the New Zealand office for £150, and the furniture of the occupant Matthews was also insured. Mr Steven's house was insured for £200 in the South British office, bat the furniture, which was saved, was not insured. The origin of the fire remains a mystery, but as it originated in an empty house it is supposed to be the work of an incendiary.