THREE DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1654, 9 June 1879, Page 3

THREE DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

[Prf-** Wirc.l FATAL r.!»3 AT MIIKHUNGA. AI/CIvLAND, June 7. A fin: .-.cu. t‘«<i *.t the Manakau Hotel, Onehunge, »f. ; wo this morning. Between toni ■ -:?ve tV- -sand pounds worth of buildirj ■ e:?e d a!/. o.yed and one man was killed. The :’io wua ,u ; .s„-<verod by a servant .maid in th . .*•••■> Lorn ;<■: -f the bouse. She alarmed J.»ha ilunulagaani, who saw the flames in the ■ filing o> »e house. Ho called h father, Captain O'*rn».ogham, who slept at the east unci of the hou.i**. Cunningham saw that it who to attempt to put out the fire. Ho then attempted to get Mrs Cunningham away, bat found the staircase was in flames, and ho Uok his mfeoato the balcony,

and thence she was taken down a ladder The children meanwhile had been hurried down stalls by the servant and John Cunningham. Twenty-five oomtabulary were in the hotel, and rendered great assistance, although very little could be saved. The fire quickly spread to Barr’s boarding-house, on the west eido of the hotel. This building contained fourteen rooms, and was the pro party of Mrs Williams. Barr was the tenant, and had his furniture insured for £2OO. The constabulary and by-standera saved some furniture before the building was enveloped in flames. By this time the hotel was almost demolished. Two tanks fell from tho roof of the hotel, and exploded in a remarkable manner. One knocked a chimney down, and the bricks were blown all over tho plac -, Ono of these is supposed to have struck a man named Thos. Hoes on tho head, for at this time he was scon to fall, and on being picked up his skull was found to oe fearfully shattered. Rees was taken to tho hospital, but did not long survive. He was married. The splendid stables to tho east of tho hotel next caught fire. Five horses were cut adrift and escaped. The traps and vehicles with much difficulty wore saved. Tho building was destroyed. Between the latter and Barnes’ store and warehouse was tho shop of McGrath and son, which, together with the contents, was quickly consumed. A stone warehouse stopped tho progress of the flames in this direction. At the rear of tho stables was a highly valuable herd of Berkshire swine. These were roasted alive. The insurances are—South British, £I2OO ; Now Zealand, £2OO (furniture) ; Transatlantic, £500; Royal, £20,0FIEH AT AUOKLAHD. AUCKLAND, Juno 8. Another serious fire broke out at eleven last night in H. B. Morton’s wholesale stores, Custom House street. The fire had a firm hold inside, but the brigade threw a large volume of water upon it, and managed to extinguish it. The damage to stock is roughly a ated at £IOOO, and to the building at £3OO. The insurances in the Royal, New Zealand, South British, and other offices amount to £6OOO. Mr Morton is absent in England. FIEE AT OAMABtr. OAMARU, Juno 8. At four o’clock this morning a firo broke out in Wansbeck street, in a block of wooden buildings owned by Thomas Morris, consisting of five shops. Tho fire originated in a shop occupied by Larkin, a painter. Two shops were unoccupied, and the remaining two were rented by Moir and Son, leather dealers, and Hendry, cabinet-maker. A quantity of goods were saved from tho two last-mentioned shops. The buildings, however, were completely burned. Morris had the buildings insured, it is believed, in tho New Zealand office. Larkin, Moir and Son, and Hendry are also believed to bo insured, but it is not known positively yet.