FIRE AT QUEENSWOOD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 101, 15 May 1937, Page 6

FIRE AT QUEENSWOOD

Brigfadesnien's Hard Fight With Flames DAMAGE NOT EXTENSIVE Fire wbich broke out at 11.15 o'clock laat night damaged the Queenswood Scbyool, in Nelson street, Hastings. The school, whicb is a large two-storey wooden building, standing back from tbe road in its own grounds, blazed fiereely, and the Hastings Fire Brigade was faced with a four-hour fight before the outbreak could be quelled. The fire is believed to have been caused by a spark finding its way behind the wall above the mantlepiece and the fiames soon found their way in between the ceiling and the roof, necessitating the pulling off of part of the iron roof. About 20 pupils and their teachers were In bed when the outbreak occurred, but they made their escape without any diifficulty, and were boarded with friends for the night. The alarm was given by the cook. "Not for many years have we had ayfire which took us four hours to control," remarked Superintendent E. Henderson of the Hastings .Fire Brigade, to the Herald-Tribune this morning. The brigade turned out in full force, he said, and it was only through the firemen's efforts that the building was saved. Great credit was due to them. It was a big blaze and a hard fire to fight, smoke hampering the men's efforts. About 700 feet of hose had to be run out to fight the flames. Superintendent Henderson paid special tribute to the efficient way the children were trained for an emergency. They had been brought out without any difficulty. The brigade was thankful for refreshments supplied during the fire.. The back of ihe building and the ■ front upsta^j portion, particularly to the left hand side* appears to have suffered and part of the roof has been rennoved, but the .fire was restricted to ai fairly small area. It broke out in a sxnall room at the frqnt used by the principal, Miss K. F. Bixon) but the wing at the back in which the dormitoiies are eituated was not damaged. The contents of th© wh.ole building, however, were affected by smoke and water. A number of extremely valuable works of art, were forfcunately saved. The echool will re-open on Monday. The insuraUces on the building amounted to £1750, and the contents were insured for £906, the policies being held with the National office.