FIRE.

Evening Star, Issue 3821, 24 May 1875, Page 2

FIRE.

On Saturday night a six-roomed detached house, owned and occupied by Mr William Watson (of Martin and Watson, coal merchants), situate in Maitland street, was destroyed by fire. It appears that Mr and Mrs Watson, with two ofjtheir children, went to the theatre shortly before eight o’clock, leaving Mrs Roustead (Mrs Watson’s mother), the servant girl, named Mary Quin, and two of the children (a boy and a girl) at home. Shortly before ten o’clock Mrs Roustead and the boy were in the dining-room, the girl in bed in Mrs Ronstead’s room, and the servant in the kitcheu. The latter went to Mrs Rousted’s bedroom to get the children's boots, carrying a lighted candle without a candlestick. She looked for the bo»ts under a number of dresses hanging on the wall, and also under the bed in which the was; and there is very little doubt that in so doing she set fire to the curtains and vallance, as on returning to the kitchen five minuter afterwards she heard the crackling of fire In the bedroom. She returned to the bed-room anil saw the bed-curtains and dresses on the wall on fire, and immediately gave the alarm. While tho rest of the household were getting the hose prepared, Mrs Roustead went into the bedroom and rescued the girl without injury to herself or the child, although the bedding was then on fire, Mrs Roustead loses a quantity of clothes, a watch and jewellery, and LI 7in money. Mr Watson estimates his loss at Ll,ooo. He was insured in the South British for L 550.