FATAL FIRE

Hokitika Guardian, 2 May 1927, Page 3

FATAL FIRE

TWO 11 EX LOSE LIVES. IUY TELEGRAPH —PEll TRESS ASSOCIATION.] NAPIER. May 2. Two men are dead and one woman injured by jumping from the first floor in a lire this morning, when, a 21-room-ed hoarding house in Shakespeare Road was totally destroyed. Iho fire started about 4.30 and soon the whole building was a. mass of flames. Both Napier and Port Ahuriri lire brigades attended and good work was done to prevent the flames spreading. A shop on one side escaped with smoke and water damage. A residence on the other side was burnt on one side. All the. furniture in the boarding h use was destroyed. The building was only a few years old, but binned with icmarkable rapidity.

Other inmates escaped in. their night attire.

The property was owned h.v .T. V\ . Smith. The building was almost to- , tally demolished a few years ago. Tin* water pressure was quite inadequate to deal with the cutbieah. due to the early cutting of telephonic communication to the waterworks, thus , preventing the high pressure supply being brought into use. The urrivid of the Napier Brigade with a Dennis pump, immediately made available a splendid pressure, and this acc unted for the outbreak being confined to the original building. The telephone wires were melted and the system disorganised. Apart from the adjoining premises the other buildings were not in close proximity, hut the absence of water, at one time suggested that the outbreak must extend. The bodies of the two victims were recovered after a diligent search. Tt appears AA’ebber. who stent in the trout of the hiii'ding rushed to the rear, where the fire started and fell cfl the stair landing into the flames below. His remains consisted of a few hones only. Robinson was apparently suffocated in his sleep. -Miss Spiers jumped through a broken window on the first floor to the pavement. Conflicting stories are told concerning the steps taken to warn the inmates. who numbered 15. all of whom lost everything. One lodger lost eighty pounds and another forty pounds sterling. The projjerty was occupied by Mr and Mrs R. Bruce, and was owned bv J. P. Smith. Tt was insured in the A fins for £IOOO and the furniture insured in the same office for £BSO. The names of the fire victims are: John AYcbber, aged 59. single, a wnter- ' side worker and AA'illiam Rob : nson. j aged 30, single, unemployed. He recently left a boat. His home town is unknown. Both are dead. The woman s ’ injuries are not serious, caused by ' jumping from a window to escape the ' flames. Her name is Annie Spiers, 20. single, now in hospital.