FIRE AT A CHURCH

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 13 July 1929, Page 9

FIRE AT A CHURCH

ALARM DURING SERVICE MINISTER PREVENTS PANIC When the startling cry of “Eire!” resounded through the Habcrfield Methodist Church during tho service on a recent Sunday morning, says a Sydney paper, j it was the calming influence of the voico |of tho minister, the Rev. R. Piper, | which prevented panic, especially among the children, whom ho was addressing at the time. “Please don’t be oxcited,” he pleaded, “Stay where you are. The men will look after tho fire.” While the children waited and tho service went on, the men went oiitsido arid did what they could, pending tho arrival of the fire brigades to prevent tho spread of a fire that had broken out in a storeroom at the rear of tho church. But it was a gusty day, and the flames continued to spread, the storeroom being destroyed, the vestry badly damaged, and tho" Sunday School, a. two-storeyed building at the rear of the church, .slightly damaged. Fire brigade detachments arrived speedily, and soon had the flames under control, but not before three firemen had been slightly injured owing to the collapse of the corrugated iron roof of the store in which the fire originated. Some idea of the fierceness of the flames may be gathered from the fact that the lead in one of the church windows was melted, causing the window to fall in.