FIRE AT NEWTON, NEAR AUCKLAND.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 232, 8 March 1875, Page 4

FIRE AT NEWTON, NEAR AUCKLAND.

We extract the following particulars of a disastrous fire which took place at Newton on the morning of the 2nd inst, from the jV. Z. Herald:— The fire originated in the lower storey of the Star Hotel, occupied by Mr Jas. Grattan, and is supposed to have been caused by some of the ignited sealing-wax falling unnoticed, as the landlord was engaged bottling wines to a late hour.

After he had completed the work of bottling he went at once to his bedroom to retire for the night; but before he lay down he heard a noise in the store-room, which sounded like the bursting of bottles, and on going down stairs he found the passage filled with smoke. Flames almost immediately issued from the store, and the building was filled with dense smoke. He at once gave the alarm, and ran along the passage to the front room, where the servant and two of Mb children were sleeping. These he rescued, and at the same time shouted to awaken the lodgers. He then went upstairs and brought his wife and one child down, and placed them out of immediate danger. He saved no property but the clothes he had on, and the few things his wife and children had thrown around them.

The escape of the other persons was a - tended with still greater peril, as the fire spread with such fearful rapidity. Mr R. D. Stewart, who was sleeping in one of the front rooms of the second story, was awakened by the alarm of fire given by Mr Grattan. He sprang immediately out of bed, and found the floor so hot that it scorched his feet. At first he ran to the stairs in his night-dress, but returned to secure an overcoat, a pair of trousers, and his watch. He then rushed down stairs, through which the flames were breaking at the time, and reached the street in safety. Mr Stewart is a very severe sufferer by the fire, having lost everything he possessed, with the exceptions mentioned, and barely escaped with his life. His loss, he estimates, would not be more than covered by £SO. Mr Walter Sirkett, who was also sleeping in the upper story of the hotel, was not even bo fortunate as Mr Stewart, for he suffered very severely in escaping from the building. Mr Stewart called him and he attempted to follow him down the staircase, but as it burst almost immediately into a body of flame, this was impossible. He returned to his room and jumped out of the window, and in doing so sustained very serious injuries, the full extent of which are not as yet known. Constable Clarke, assisted by several other persons, picked him up in an insensible condition, and carried him to the front of one of the cottages nearly opposite. Some clothes were provided for him, and he received all possible care and attention. Several times he was roused from the state of coma into which he had fallen, but fainted again almost immediately. The sufferer was finally removed to the hospital in a cab, accompanied by Mr Bartlctt, jun, and another gentleman.

The property destroyed consisted of three houses—the Star Hotel, which, with the whole of its contents, was totally destroyed, and two small buildings, occupied as dwell-ing-houses by the Messrs Hemus. The whole of the buildings were in flames within half an hour after the origin of the fire, so that little property was saved from either of them. Messrs Hemus's property was valued at about £250, but whether this loss, or any part of itj is covered by insurance is uncertain. It was insured, together with the boot factory in Upper Queen-street; but it is unknown whether or not the policy has expired, nor is the amount of its insurances known. Mr Hemus is peculiarly unfortunate in respect to fires, he was a considerable loser by the great fire in Queen street. The same journal of the 3rd says : Further inquiry with regard to the fire by which, early yesterday morning, ' three bouses in Newton were destroyed, confirmed the report of the catastrophe which was published in these columns in every particular. The estimate that £I6OO worth of property was destroyed proved to be a fair approximate valuation. That the lodger (Mr John Smith) who was believed by Mr Grattan, and those who took the trouble personally to enquire into the circumstances connected with the fire, probably to have perished in the flames, did escape from the building, and go by himself to the hospital, whilst suffering severely from the effects of the fire, was but too correct, as the melancholy sequence—his death at the Provincial Hospital yesterday demonstrated. Mr Smith was what might be termed a middle-aged man ; he had attained his forty-fifth year. He was well esteemed by those with whom he was acquainted, his conduct being such as to merit respect. For some time previous to his death he had not followed any calling, having been an invalid, but was rapidly attaining convalescence. His occupation had previously been that of a draper. The particulars of the event which terminated fatally with the deceased were narrated by himself to Constable Clarke about twenty minutes before his demise, which took place at 2.15 p.m yesterday. His statement made to the constable was in effect that he went to bed in the Star Hotel between the hours of nine and ten p.m. on the Ist inst. He heard Mr Grattan call to the servant girl that there was fire in the house, and he put on his trousers and shirt, and went to the staircase at the north end of the hotel, and found the door was fastened. He then returned to his own room, and took his clothes in his arms, and went down the stairs to the south end of the hotel, opened the door and entered the diningroom, at one end of which the spirits were kept. On entering this room he found the spirits in it were on fire. He attempted to rush through it, but fell on the floor, and was burned badly. He then got up and made for the nearest window, the sash of which he broke, and thus escaped from the burning building, and went alone to the provincial hospital, his hands and feet bleeding all the way. Deceased's death was doubtless caused by the shock his nervous system sustained by the occurrence of the events which he had narrated. The inquest upon his remains will be held to-day before Dr Goldßbro', coroner. Mr Walter Sirkett, who jumped from the upper window of the hotel, and was injured in falling, is progressing favorably under the skilful treatment and careful attendance he has received at the hospital. No fatal symptoms have made an appearance in his case, and it is hoped and expected that in a few weeks he will have completely recovered.