EARLY MORNING FIRE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4900, 6 November 1925, Page 2

EARLY MORNING FIRE.

BOARDINGHOUSE DESTROYED. OCCUPANTS’ HURRIED EXIT. Shortly before four o dock this morning the firebell pealed ou’. a summons for assistance .to fight a fire that had broken out in the twostoreyed wooden building in Wharf Street, Paeroa, known as the Central Boardinghouse, contaang 14 roornp, and situated opposite .the Gaiety Theatre. The building was occupied and run as a boardinghouse by Mr and Mrs Harold Gillard, and at tlie time of the outbreak there were six boarders occupying the premises. The fire brigade, under Captain W. Moore, responded quickly to the call, and soon had. four leads of hose playing on the ilamesi It! was realised from ,the outset .that there was no hope of saving the building, so the energies of the brigade were directed towards saving the adjoining block of buildings Fanned by the fresh westerly wind the flames and sparks rose for a considerable height as the doomed building burned fiercely. Within twenty muintes of the alarm being given the boardinghouse was razed to the ground, together with the outbuildings adjoining, and a two-stalled stable nearby at the rear of the house. The tire apparently had a firm hold in the rear portion Of the premises before it-was noticed. The outbreak was discovered by Clarence, ai son of tiie proprietor, who promptly awakened his parents and then pluckily assisted his father in awfaking the boarders. They had a very narrow escape, and were fortunate in getting out safely in their night attire. One of the boarders, a man named Geary, who was one of the last to be aroused, jumped from an upstairs window and landed on a concrete path below. Although his fall was broken to a certain extent by Mr Gillard attempting to catch him, he broke a small bone in his leg and had to receive medical attention. Mr Gillard was able .to reach the stable and release his horse uninjured, but one of the two dogs which were tied up was badly burned before it could be liberated. The origin of the fire cannot, be explained, the proprietor and his wife having retired to bed shortly after nine o’clock last night, and everything was then apparently safe. Mr and Mrs Gillard, as well as the boarders, are heavy losers, as other than the clothes they had time to hurriedly pick up while .making their way from the burning building everything was destroyed. The insurance on the building is £4OO, and on the stable £5O, both policies being in the State Fire Office. Mrs Gillard had the furniture insured for £405, and personal effects were covered by £lOO, both policies being in the Victoria Office.