FIRE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 864, 2 April 1877, Page 3

FIRE.

Shortly after 10 p.ra. on Saturday the Lichfield street fire bell rang out an alarm. A glare in the eastward showed the locality of the fire, which proved to be in Hereford street East, just below Barbadoes street. The fire bell at the Cambridge terrace station soon took up the alarm, and the brigade mustered with commendable promptitude. On arriving at the spot it was found that a seven-roomed house, occupied by the Rev I. Zachariah, the Jewish Rabbi, forming part of a row of houses known as Hereford terrace, was on fire. A large boarding-house occupied by Mr Rogers, and known as Pacific House, occupied the other corner, and at one time was thought to be in danger; but the strong south-west wind which was blowing, fortunately so far as that house Avas concerned, drove the flames away. It had the effect, hoAvever, of igniting the neighboring houses to the eastward. So far as we can learn the particulars, the fire originated in the back drawing room of the Rev. Mr Zachariah’s house. About a few minutes before ten o’clock Mr Zachariah’s son, aa'lio was in the library, heard a crackling noise, and, going to the drawing room, found that a kerosene lamp Avliich had been left burning on the table had burst and had ignited the walls and ceiling of the room. The fire had got such hold that it Avas impossible to do anything with the appliances at hand to attempt to extinguish it. The remainder of the family, avlio Avere in bed, were removed, and such portions of the furniture as could be got at. In a very short time the house was a mass of flame, and the S.W. Avind had driven the fire on to the next house, occupied by Mrs Hastic. The brigade, as avc said, Avas early on the spot, but there was no AA’ater within reach. Mr Superintendent Harris, finding that there Avas no Avater nearer than the Gloucester street school baths, at once dispatched both steamers there, and the distance to be travelled may be estimated Avhcn avc say that each engine had 1400 ft of hose out. Some idea of the labor attached to laying the hose may also bo formed from the fact that the hose had to be taken across two gorse fences, five paling fences, and four side channels. The furniture had been removed from Mrs Hastie’s house, and in a short time it Avas also completely gutted. The next house, one OAvncd by Mr Ponsford, also caught in the roof, but by the strenuous exertions of the men of the brigade, avlio mounted the roof in the face of a tremendous body of flame, it was saved, and ultimately on the water being got the brigade had the fire under, the two first houses alone being destroyed. These were OAA'ned by Mrs Hastie, and Avere each insured in the New Zealand office for £350. The furniture in Mrs Hastie’s house Avas also insured in the same office for £SO. She estimates her loss over and above the amount insured at £4OO. The furniture of the Rev Mr Zachariah Avas insured in the South British for £2OO, but he estimates his loss at over £250, consequent on the destruction of a number of valuable HebrcAv books which it is impossible to replace. Mr Ponsford’s house was insured for £4OO in the National. He estimates the damage done by removal of fixtures and to the roof at about £2OO. The furniture in one or two of the other houses suffered by removal, but not to any appreciable extent. The police, under Mr Inspector Buckley, and the fire police, under their officers, Avere early on the spot. The damage done to Pacific House is mainly confined to the scorching of the eastern side, and is covered by insurance.