DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 51, 5 May 1863, Page 2

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

On Sunday morning, about five o'clocj fire broke out at the private dwelling-ho of Colin N. Campbell, Esq.; situated on main North road, about four nailes, fi town, by which the entire building |and contents were completely destroyed'. It appears that : the inmates, ninein nt ber, retired to rest at about 10 o'clock, ai extinguishing all the fires. Mr Campl being roused from sleep by a crackling no and seeing, Jan unusual light in. the. dini room, alarmed the house, when it Hvas' du vered that the building was ■ iii flan Owing to the high wind that was blowing the time, and the fact that the fire 1 already got a firm hold, nothing could done to save either the house or any of contents. It was totally destroyed, the mates barely escaping in their mghtdres! With regard to the cause of the catastrop the most probable conjecture is Ythat the! in ihe dining-room was not thoroughly i tinguished. and sparks having communica through some crevices in the brickwork the chimney to a partition stud which ran its side, the woodwork caught fire i speedily communicated with the rest of t building. To give some idea of the rapid of the fire, it may be stated that, fromi time of its discovery to the complete destti tion of the buHdingj not more ,- than fiftt minutes elapsed. Mr. Campbell is, we 1 lie ve insured for &2-000, wMch will l cover the loss sustained. An inquiry into the origin of the fire * be held by the Coroner to-day, on t ground.