A Wonderful Escape.

Manawatu Herald, 16 March 1893, Page 2

A Wonderful Escape.

A most surprising escape froHß^ very large fire may be witnessed in Mr Oiborne's drapery store. Last night the premises were closed as usual, but on Mr A. Osborne open. J ing the store this morning hie noticed*"^ in the tailor's room pait of the wall and bench had been on fire but had died out. The window to the rdoin looks out on to the back yard and one pane of glass. Had been out ; for a few days and a piece i of cardboard had been temporarily tacked up. This cardboard had Wen pushed in and the beach against the window

has two large holes burnt right through it. The scrim and paper alongside the window had been on fire !' about four feet high and a foot wide, but had also expired, the burnt paper still hanging to the scrim, showing that the fire had not been put ont. The lining under the scrim, which was burnt, has also been on fire, the edges where the boards meet having been deeply charred. Under the work bench lie the solid "pieces of the bench which dropped from it where the fire had burnt round it, and against the wainscotting is a pile of burnt wood ash just as it fell from the burning bench. On the bench, almost between the two burnt holes in it, was a paper box of wax matches, charred on the outside but the matches unhurt, though stuck together by the wax melting. It is most surprising how the fire died out having obtained such a hold. At present the origin is a mystery.