THE LATE FIRE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 81, 6 April 1874, Page 2

THE LATE FIRE.

CORONER'S INQUEST. An inquiry into the origin of the late fire in Bridge-street, was held on Saturday afternoon. Mr. Henry Adams watched the proceedings for Mr. Wymond, and Mr. Acton Adams for the South British and National Insurance Companies. William Phillips : The premises on which the fire was first noticed were my property. I lived there alona. When I went to bed at 2*20 a.m. there was no sign of fire on the premises. J bad been rendering tallow until halfpast one. When I went to bed all fires were out. After I had finished working I threw water on the furnaca fire underneath the boiler. After that I lighted a fire in the kitchen, and had some tea. I threw no water on that \ fire, but it appeared to be quite burnt ' out. It was a wood flre. The roof of the kitchen and store-room was not bo high as the front of the house. I went into the shop to see the time, and found it was twenty minutes past two. I then went round to the back of the house, out of doors, and then to bed upstairs. I slept in a room over the shop at the back. After I had been asleep some time, I felt a sort of choking sensation. At first I thought I was dreaming, but I then heard a crackling noise, and found the room was full of smoke. I jumped out of bed and tried to go down stairs, but when I got half way down the flames forced me back. I got my boots and trousers from my room, and opened the window of the front room and shouted "Fire" three times. I then got on to the verandah, and was just sliding down when I heard the police whistle, and saw Constable Beattie passing up Bridge-street blowing his whistle. He cried out " Phillips " as he went pasfc. I jumped down off the verandah, ran round to the back, and played on the house with Mr Thornton's hose. The fire was then bursting out at the top of the roof over the stairs, and through the opening at the ridge at the back. I have no idea as to the cause of the fire. It appeared to me to originate under the stairs, where there was a small store-room containing a little kerosene, a few boxes of matches, and a little vinegar, salt, and tobacco. When I went into the shop to see the time, I had a bedroom candlestick with a candle in it just burning out. I got another candle off the shelf,. and lighted it with a match, as the other candle went out just as I got into the shop. My property was insured, the house in the South British for £100, and the stock for the same amount; in the Victoria, the house for £100 and the stock for £500. I bought the house about six months ago. I had at the time of the fire stock to the amount of about £900. I am speaking from recollection. I kept no account of the stock I had. My books were all saved. I kept no regular cash book. I paid for most of the things I bought in cash. Most'of my receipts are burnt. I kept no account of bills coming due or anything of the kind, as I always remembered them. The books saved are day books. I kept no other books. I never made any entry of cash payments, but I did of debts owing to me. In my policy of insurance, no mention was made of the soap or tallow works. When I renewed the policies, I told Mr Evans of the Victoria, and Mr Edwards of the South British about them, and they said it was all right. Mr Edwards said if the other offices had taken the risk he would do the same. They did not aek for any increase of premium. lam positive Mr Edwards said he would take the risk. Mr Bettany was present at the time, and I think Mr Otterson. I do not remember having had any conversation with Mr Edwards in the street on the subject. I have made no soap for eight months^ I Bent tallow to Mr Gaby, of Well^ton, and he sent j me soap in return. There is as much risk in boiling a pot of water as in bailing tallow if you are careful. From the way iifytbbiler waß erected it was impossible^fofcit to boil over. It waß a long time bejQre. the bell rang. Some . of the talblpr was stored in the yard, and some in ba|rels in the boiler house. .The greateiMgj|fc was in the boiler .fcpuse. I ftjpabout 2\ tons on the- " (

Hugh Beattie, constable: I was on duty on Wednesday morning. I was walking up the centre of Trafalgarstreet about twenty minutes past five, and when opposite the Bank of New Zealand, I looked through the passage between Mr Buxtons aud Mr Jackson's, and thought I saw the sky red, and on looking again saw flames. I thought at first it was Mr Harley coke burning, and then that it was the Trafalgar stables, so I rah down the street blowing my whistle, and when I got to Bridgestreet saw that it was Phillips', I stopped for a second and shouted to Phillips, and seeing something move on the verandah I looked up and saw it was he. I then ran up the street giving the alarm. I met some people and aßked them to ring the bell as I cannot climb. I walked from the Post-Office up Bridge-street and Trafalgar-street and it was not till I got opposite the Bank of New Zealand that J saw the fire. I was the only constable on duty at the time. I did not hear Phillips calling out "Fire." It was a quiet morning and sound would travel some distance. It was three or four minutes between the time I passed Phillips' and the ringing of the bell. John Daly: I am a wine and spirit merchant. On the morning of the fire I was aroused by the sound of a whistle. Looking out of the window, I thought the Trafalgar stables were on fire, so I ran across to the hotel, and got in by the back way and roused the inmates. I then went to the stable aud roused the ostler. The glare of the fire was so strong in the yard that after loosing two of the horses I could not get them out of the stable without great difficulty. We saved the carriages and most of the contents of the stable and sheds. The fire was in Phillips'. Ten minutes elapsed between the time I heard the whistle and the ringing of the bell. Henry Wilson: I am on a visit to Nelson: On Tuesday night I occupied a bedroom in the back of Mrs Bird's house in Trafalgar-streef. The window overlooks the scene of the fire. On hearing the constable's whistle, I looked out of the window and saw the fire at Phillips'. I ran out and was in Bridge-street a minute or two before the bell rung. I saw the fire soon take hold of Mr Thornton's from tlie boiler house at the rear. I think ii was about ten minutes from the first alarm to the ringing of the bell. This concluded the evidence and a verdict was returned to the effect that the fire broke out on Phillips' premises, but that there was no evidence to show how it originated. . j The following rider was attached to the verdict: — That the foreman be requested to write to the Coroner pointing out the want of more police being placed on duty at night; and also the desirability of having proper plans placed before the jury showing the position &c. of premises destroyed by fire.