FIRE AT MAROTIRI.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3814, 5 July 1928, Page 3

FIRE AT MAROTIRI.

SIX-ROOMED DWELLING • DESTROYED. At an early hour on Wednesday morning a six-roomed dwelling owned by Mrs Jeffries, and situated on the river bank at Marotiri, was totally destroyed by fire. Mrs Jeffries was absent at the time on a holiday in Wellington, and the house was unoccupied. The outbreak was noticed by Mr Terry Royal, who lives nearby, about 2 o’clock in the morning, but the house was then practically destroyed. It was raining hard at the time, and a strong wind was blowing.

In conversation with Mr C. Barnard, who was taking care of the place and milking the cows, during Mrs Jeffries’ absence, but who slept at Whitaunui Mill each night, our representative was informed that Mrs Jeffries left on a holiday last Thursday, and the house had been unoccupied since then, although he had .visited the place each morning and evening to attend to the stock. When he left the place on Tuesday evening everything was in order, but on his return the following morning at 7 o’clock the dwelling and washhouse were reduced to ashes. ' Adjoining the washhouse, had been a hay shed without a roof, and he had noticed that the hay was fairly hot when feeding the stock in the morning. It had become wet with the rain, and the cause of the outbreak was possibly due to spontaneous combustion.

The dwelling was insured for £3OO in the South British Office.