FIRE NEAR THAMES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 984, 29 May 1930, Page 9

FIRE NEAR THAMES

GAS SERVICE EXPLODES Front Our Own Correspondent THAMES, Wednesday Mr. Roy Willis, late of the Auckland Mounteds, must have wondered if he was hack on Gallipoli at 3.30 this morning when he awoke to find th* house full of blinding smoke and cou tinual detonations going on. Choking, he fought his way to the door of the house, with which he was : not familiar, only to find it jammed However, he got clear and gave the alarm to the Thames Volunteer Fin Brigade, which came out at once, bm could do nothing, as no fire plug could be found. The.house aud furniture w ere totally destroyed. Mr. Willis was lookingafter the house and grounds which be longed to Mr. Stan Heslop, and aresi tua ted on the hillside at Parawai Thames The house was a fine 10-roomed place with a magnificent view over the Hauraki Gulf and Plains. Insurances are not at present avail • able, but Mr. Haulop had just re turned from a visit to Sydney, and l it is understood that some valuable I furniture was stored there. The detonations which the witness heard were caused by the water ser- | vice and the gas pipes bursting.