OTAKI RAILWAY STATION DESTROYED.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 25 July 1910, Page 3

OTAKI RAILWAY STATION DESTROYED.

SliiftlOUS CONTLAGUATION

A serious lire occurred yesterday morning, nt Obaki, which resulted in the almost total destruction of the railway start ion, the refreshment room, tho branch post office conducted in the railway station buildings. The cause of the conflagration so far remains a mystery. It appers itiliat Mr Larkin, the stationmastw, made his usual round on Saturday evening, and everything was apparently right. At 7.-10 on Sunday morning Mrs Hall, of the Railway Hotel, noticed smoke issuing from the chimney of the post office, which adjoins the station. She attached no importance to the occurrence, as she thought it was caused by a lire lit hy the servant as a part of her daily work. A little while afterwards Mrs Hall happened to look again, and saw flames coming through the windows. She gave tho alarm, and soon a body of willing helpers was trying to extinguish the flames. Mrs Hall rang up the constable, find he nt once put in an appearance. An there was no water available, the /tanks being inside the burning buildings, the work of the volunteers was greatly impeded, and added to this disability the Irnsrs were away at Ohaii. The bucket brigade *al!i.ii'.t--I,V saved the engine shed mic'l'all outhnrso.s. Groat credit is di:*> h> Ih , volunteers in this ; <>nfie-.io:i, for it is said that this is the first time when a fire has broken out on a railway station that everything apart from the station has been sav" ed. Tn the mean'time news of the disaster had been telegraphed to hnndr|iinrters in Wellington, and a special train with all the appliances necessary to repair Ifche- damage was e'er*-, led at 1.30 » i.i. As uord was not received in Wellington until 10 a.m., and everything had to be got rody. the* Itrain, which was in cliartre of }fr Dnwson, chief traffic siiperintendenit, appeared on tho scene with commendable pmmplitiule. Two huts were at once eroetfd, one for working purposes, and the other for the instruments. Mr Fahy, chief _ olerltrician. and Mr Hendrv. assistant olectricmii, repaired the wires, and everything was ready for ordinavr ninnincr this moriiLncr. Mr Hnrdie, who is in charm , of the refmsliniont. room. vnft in.s'ire'l in the Fnited Comnanv to tlu> es-feiit of P 75. but his ln«s is fstimntecl .at CloO ahnvc li'.s insnira.iire.