Fire in Auckland.

Manawatu Herald, 20 June 1903, Page 2

Fire in Auckland.

TWO BODIES FOUND IN THE RUINS.

At three o’clock on Thursday morning a fire occurred in a board-ing-house in Wyndham - street, formerly known as the Shakespeare Hotel, and kept by an Austrian, named Lukich. The fire apparently started at the rear of the top storey. There were in'the building the proprietor, his wife and child, and sister-in-law and four boarders—two men and two women—also an Austrian, name unknown, and an old man named Mark Markavich, employed by the proprietor. They were aroused and amid groat excitement and confusion endeaovured to escape from the upper windows by fire escapes. The darkness and dense smoke rendered the situation terrible. Mrs Lukich, with her baby in her arms, was observed standing in terror at one of the windows. J. P. Lowry, a Herald. employee, leaped to the fire escape, and mounting rapidly secured the child from the terror-striken mother, and brought it safely to the ground. The mother and others were assisted down the fire escape without sustaining any injuryOn the arrival of the fire brigade, the danger of the fire spreading to the adjoining block, owned by the Auckland Gas Co., was soon over. A search of the ruins was made and two bodies found on the top storey. One, an old man named Markavich, and the other a boarder, whose name is unknown. Another dead body was found in the debris ef Jibe fire—an Englishman, name unknown. His age was about 30 years. The body previously mentioned as unidentified was a Maori named Kaepa, who was waiting for the Native Laud Court. The remains

of these two were found in the tame bedroom. Markovitch’s body was found om the stairs burned to a cinder. He was evidently suffocated while attempting to escape. The name of the Austrian burned to death in the fire is mark Omartmech. The building was owned by Thomas Foley and insured in the Imperial office for £1,500 The furniture was insured in theJLondon, Liverpool and Globe for XISO. The building destroyed was of brick lathes and plaster with a brick dividing wall, three stories high and an attic. A number of the police joined m the work of rescue soon after the alarm. & The rescue party todf the women from the windows of the second floor and landed them down the fire escape, whence they were taken to a neighbouring house. Inquiries were made if more boarders were on the premises. It was stated Martinivach was in the top of the building. The fire was then raging so. fiercely in the upper storey that it was impossible to reach his bedroom. Subsequently it was stated that two boarders, who occupied a room on the . second floor, next to that from which the women were rescued, were missing. It was then impossible Jo reach them, the fire having spread very rapidly, but had the fact been known when the women were removed, the Maori and Englishman could easily have been rescued.