COTTAGE GUTTED.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4822, 8 April 1925, Page 2

COTTAGE GUTTED.

OLD PAEROA LANDMARK. GOOD WORK BY BRIGADE. Shortly after 9.30 o’clock on Monday evening the rear portion of the old cottage owned by Mrs J. Coote which is situated close to the Commercial Hotel in Normanby Road, was partly destroyed by fire. it appears that a Mr Winder, of Wharepoa, was passing the building when his attention was drawn to a thick column of sinoke ascending from the rear of the building. He gave the alarm, and in a surprisingly short time the fire brigade, under Captain W. Moore, was on the scene and had two leads of hose playing on the flames. In the meantime Mrs W. Neil, with the help of others, forced a way into the building and rescued an elderly woman, Mrt> Clifford, who occupied the rear portion of the building. It is understood that Mrs Clifford was asleep, and would undoubtedly have been suffocated had it not been for her timely rescue. As it was, she was considerably dazed by the smoke and heat.

Fiactically nothing was saved. Thti brigade did good work, and after an hour's strenuous fighting the flames were got under control, the fire being confined to the rear portion of the premises.

The wonk of the brigade was rendered difficult in geting at the seat of the conflagration owing to the fact that the roofing iron had been put on over a shigle root. The building referred to was about fort}- years old, and one of the old buildings in Paeroa. having been erected many years before the Commercial Hotel. It is understood that the cottage is insured in the British Traders' Office for £3OO. The cause of the outbreak is unknown. but the fire appeared to have originated ne'ar the fireplace, in which a fire had been burning earlier in the evening.