Extinguished!

NZ Truth, Issue 1148, 1 December 1927, Page 3

Extinguished!

Firemen mistook the red. light of a lamp for a fire at Broadway, Newmarket, on Saturday evening. With a swiftness known only to fire-fighters, they placed a ladder against the wall, scaled up, threw open the window and popped the hydra c ..niough. A man and his wife, who were reading m bed, received the full force of the water, and their shrieks soon told the firemen that they had. coma to the wrong place. The fire was really next door. —Auckland "Sun." "STAND to!" roared the captain, "the fire's close at hand!" " In the twink of an eyelid the engine was manned; Down Broadway, Newmarket, the gallant crew sped — "There she is!" yelled the captain, "and ain't the flames red?" With a speed that is. known to fire-fighters all, A ladder was hoisted and placed by the wall. "The hose!" roared the captain. "We'll soon quench, the flame; No hearse corps coul.d. ever beat us at the game." With nimble-limbed sharpness and plenty of speed, A fireman scaled up with his water-jet lead. "Thr,ow open the window — that one wi.h tne glow!" The captain was anxious. "By cripes! the man's slow'" With swiftness exclusive to fire-fighters brave, The window was opened; it looked like a "save." • "Pop m the hydrant — you poor blanky % ass; Switch the juice! Look oat there! Now, give her the gas!" With uncanny swiftness of fire-fighting men, The water flew m on its mission — and then — "What's that?" snapped the captain; "did I hear a shriek?" "There's life to be saved — we'll get med.als this week. With the terrible keenness of fire-fighters bold, They listened, and heard: "By jove, Liz, it's cold!" A couple m bed had been reading; their light The firemen mistook for the scene of their fight! • • • • • Alas! with the swiftness that most of them knew— The firemen packed up, and discreetly withdrew.