FIRE AT WAITAKARURU.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4957, 29 March 1926, Page 2

FIRE AT WAITAKARURU.

RESIDENCE DESTROYED.

SETTLER’S HEAVY LOSS.

A four-roomed, house, owned and occupied by Mr John Cummings, farmer, Boom Road, Wajtakaruru, was completely destroyed by fire early on Sunday morning.

The origin of the fire is a myst‘ ry, as- everything was all right when Mr and /Mrs Cummings' retired for the night between 16' p.m. and 11 p.m., and there had not been a fire in the house since the previous Thursday. AU cooking was, done by electricity.

Between 3 and 3.30 a.m. Mr Cummings was awakened by'a, roaring sound, and thinking it was> a motorcar in difficulties, he got up to investigate. On opening the bedroom door he found the next room a mass of flames, due to the falling of the ceiling, where the fire had evidently commenced. After awaking hist wife he attempted to call a'neighbour on the party telephone, but wa,s driven away by the flames. Mr and Mrs Cummings had scarcely got out of the. hause when the-whole roof fell in. They saved nothing whatever, except the nightclothes, they wore, and consider 1 - ed themselves fortunate in escaping 'with their lives. . x

The house was a fairjy new 'one, and was covered by’insurance, as also was the furniture, but the 1 loss .will be a hea,vy one- Over £lOO ‘worth of wedding presents and a considerable amount of cash was destroyed.