FATAL FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1039, 24 October 1877, Page 3

FATAL FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS. [pee press agency.] Wellington, October 23. It appears that the water was turned on by the watchman kept for the purpose, immediately after the alarm, but either through a stoppage somewhere in the pipes or else through the pipes being empty _ and the water low in the reservoir, which is a long distance from the scene of the fire, it took such a long time to fill the empty pipes that the fire got tremendous headway. Even when water did begin to run there was not enough to fill the eight jets which had been got ready to play, and four had to be taken off, so that some force might be obtained in the other four. One of the houses burnt was occupied by Mr Farnall, of Auckland, while Sir George Grey occupied a room in the Princess Hotel, facing the fire. The hotel itself had a very narrow escape. Mr Cattel, who was one of the first at the fire, put up a ladder to the flat where Mrs Johnson and her children slept, and broke through the window in the hope of rescuing them, but the flames burst out with such force as to knock him off the ladder from the top to the ground, and he received cuts and bruises by the fall. Mr Drummond, his partner, tried next, but he also had to desist, considerably injured by cuts and bruises. The weather, fortunately, was calm while there was no water, otherwise the fire must have assumed much larger proportions. Mr Cattel, who is the chief loser, estimates his loss at £I4OO. He also lost all his papers, such as land deeds and maps, which he forgot all about in the excitement of the time. The greatest vigilance was required to prevent the surrounding houses from taking fire, the showers of sparks were so great. Many members of Parliament were present, and exerted themselves most energetically. All the bodies were disfigured beyond recognition. The mother’s body and that of the youngest child were found clasped together. She was accustomed to have a kerosene lamp burning, and it is feared that it burst or capsized. No other solution of the fire has yet been arrived at, no cries of any kind having been heard. It is supposed that stupefaction saved the unfortunate family from all torture.