DISASTROUS FIRE.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 22, 23 October 1930, Page 6

DISASTROUS FIRE.

TWO FIBEMEN INJTT&ED.

The residence of Mr. H. O. Butteip of 60 Waterldo Road, was completely de* strdyed by fire between 2 and 3 o'clock; on. Monday morning. As a consequence of the. lire Superintendent T. "W. Slinn and Assistant-Stationkeeper Huitton were conveyed to the Wellington Hospital-suffering!,from burns and the effects of smoke. .Mi", and Mrs and Miss Butter had been s><.ting in a rooan on the west side j of the house till a late hout on Sunday. ' Arter going to bed, Mr. Butter was unauie to sleep and noticed a smell of burning and on investigation found.the fitting room ablaze. He imanediately gave the alarm at 2.10 a.m. The brigade arrived promptly and found t&e fire was still confined to the duerrootm t but the howse was filled- with smoke. After ge\.i.*ng out the leads of hose, SuperintendentjEJlinn and Fireman Hutori entered .the sittinig room but weTe soon overcome oy the, smoke and De-puty-Supt. J. J. Doran and Fireman Wilson went to their assistance. x A strong wind was blowing from the south and apparently a back door or window was opened, which had the effect of sliimming the dooi* through wYioh ibis men had entered^ leaving them in smoke and darkness. "Ibeputy-Supit. Doran eventually found the door, but not in time to saye Supt. Slinn befoTe he had fallen unconscious. Fireman 'Hutton was also affected by tlie smoke but succeeded in attracting, the attention of his comrades who released him from tie-room..No medical attention at the time being available, the efforts of the brigiidesanen were concentrated on resusitating the injured men. Later Dr F. 1D..801t, who lives next door and whose presence was not known at the time, came to their assistance and be* stowed e"\ cry care on them, in his own home.. Th«« City Free Ambulance was summoned and in the remarkably short space of 14 minutes was on the scene j and removed the two injured men to ' the Hospital. Both men were badly burnt ami suffering from suffocation. By this time the flames had. a strong i.old and nothing could be done to save the building and all the brigade's efforts were devoted to saving Mr. Judd 'a residence next door. The cause of the fire could not be ascertained but Mr. Butter's loss will be heav; as practically the whole of his household effects were destroyed. -Both thr injured men are making satisfactory progress towards recovery. ■