FATAL FIRE AT THAMES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1481, 15 June 1905, Page 4

FATAL FIRE AT THAMES.

FURTHER DETAILS

Tbo Auckland Herald’s corresponded tolegrnpbcd She following particulars on Sunday : ■' „ A firo broke out this morning about 6 o’clock at the Brian Boru Hotel, Pollen street, owned aud occupied by Mrs Kate Twobitl. The flames had a good hold of the building befere the alarm was given. The Shortland branch of the fire brigade, whose headquarters were situated almost opposite the scone of the fire, wero quickly on the spot. It was found that the fire wae raging m the upstairs portion of the south-east wing of the building, and immediately over the kitchen. The brigade, who wore soon ioinod by the Grahumstown branch,quickly cot to work, ana in a very short time all the available water was brought to boar on the burning building. It speaks volume for the efficiency and energy of the brigads that the outer walls of the building were preserved, and the fire confinod to the interior. Eventually they succeeded in subduing the flames without any Bcnous damage to the lower storey further than that caused by tbe water. The whole of the back portion of the upper storey, and more especially the wing where the fire originated, was completely gutted, and the furniture destroyed. The bedrooms along the Pollen and Richmond street fronts are, however, only partly burned, but eveu iu these rooms tho furniture is mostly destroyed. After the fire woe subdued, it was found that two of the boarders were missing, and on search being made in the rooms occupied by them, the dead bodies were found, m both eases lying across the bed. The bodies were not much injured by fire, and it was evident that death bad been caused by Buffooaticn. The rooms occupied by the two deceased wore near the scono of tho outbreak, and they must have been overcome by tho smoko before they had time to make good their escape. The names of tho deceased woro : Mr Potor MoNab, of the firm of Mason and McNab, monumental masons, of Auckland, who leaves a wife and family. Mr Joseph Sheldon, a bushman, working in McConnell’s bush at Turuo. Sheldon was a single man, about 46 years of age, having no rolatives in New Zealand. Ho was a native of the North of Ireland, ana woll connected, having brothers in the army holding tho rank of surgeons. He had also an uncle in Australia, Mr McNab arrived on the Thames on Friday from Auckland, aud was here in connection with work for tho firm at the Shortland comotevy. _ ' i Sheldon had only arrived fromTurua on Saturday night, and was staying only the one night, intending to return to Turua in the morning. The cause of tbo fire is not known, -the outbreak occurred immediately over the kitchen, and close to where the kitchen chimney passes through tho upper storey, together with tbe hot-water pipes. The damage to the building is consider able, as the whole of the interior of the, upper storey will require to bp renewed, and the lower storey, though not damaged by water, will require a considerable amount of renovating, both as regards the building and furniture, and it is impossible, to give anything like a correct estimate of; the damage at present. The hotel was quite a new and up-to-date building, created by Mrs Tivohill only last year on the site of tho old hotel,of. the. same name, and was capable of accommodating upwards of 70 boarders. In fact, that number were sleeping iu.-the - building at the time of the fire.