SERIOUS FIRE

Hokitika Guardian, 14 January 1929, Page 1

SERIOUS FIRE

AT STILLWATER.. THREE HOUSES DESTROYED. Tlu* most destructive fire for many years experienced at Stillwater occurred early yesterday morning, when three residences were destroyed and loss of life was very narrowly averted. The outbreak began in the house of .Mr Walker Hales, where it was discovered at 2 o’clock bv -Mr Tom Galligan, whose bouse is next to the site of that of -Mr Hales, who was himself absent at the time in a camp at No Town. . Mrs (Nurse) Hales, however, was living in the house at the time, but Mr Galligan, on getting up to give the alarm, was unable when he knocked to get any response. He therefore smashed one of the windows and effected an entry, when lie found the whole interior was Imrnmg. He also discovered that Mrs Hales, who was in night attire, had been rendere' almost insensible by smoke. He lost no time in getting her out ot the burning building to safety. Meanwhile, with a wind blowing tow.M’ds the bouses of Messrs 'lorn Kelly and J. Harper, on the opposite side t< that on which Mr Galligan’s bouse is located, the flames spread to the first mentioned structures, which, in the absence of fire-fighting appliances and water, were soon ablaze. The owners however, were aide in the interval between the warning given and the spread of the flames, to remove all of the contents from their houses, which both wore demolished completely along with that of Mr Hales’s. The insurances were not available yesteida\. but there will probably be a consider able loss for the owners off the places destroyed.—Argus.