MORE FIRES. COTTAGE DESTROYED IN NAPIER. STREET.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 248, 21 March 1888, Page 3

MORE FIRES. COTTAGE DESTROYED IN NAPIER. STREET.

Auckland, March 17. About 1.30 o'clock this morning an alarm of fire was rung out from the bells, and theFire Brigade and Salvage Corps were soon in attendance under Superintendent Hughes and Captain Field. A number.ofc police were also present under Sorgeantt. Kiely. The lire proved to be in a four roomed cottage situated in a right-of-way off Napier-street. It was occupied by, a. labourer named Michael Duggan and his. wife and family. The cottage was the propeity of Mr James Caradus, o£ Emmett - street, Pon&onby. When discovered the firo had gob a good bold,, and in consequence of the delay in giving the alarm the building was completely enveloped in flames by the time the brigadearrived. The firemen, however, succeeded, in confining the flames to the cottage i» which they originated and thus prevented. the further spread of the fire. The adjoining house, which was occupied, by JMbt Downey, was in danger for some time, bufe the action of the Brigade ultima,tejy saved it from destruction. The origin, of the fiie appears to have been accidental. Michael Duggan states that, he i& tk labourer. He went to bed about 10 o'clock last evening, leaving his wife washing, clothes in the kitchen. She retired to rest shortly afterwards. About half-past one. o'clock she awoke him, when he discovered, that the room was full of smoke. Ise noticed that the fire was, in« the kitchen*. He got his wife and children, out of i6#house, and also saved some of the furniture, which was insured in» the South British, office for £85. He could give no reason for the origin, of, the- fire. Mrs Duggan states that she was. ironing in the kitchen after her husband went to,, beef. She left the clothes on a chair befjor.e the fire to air. She used a, steam ir.on. and lelfc it on the hob, and the fire was on.ths tjop.of a colonial oven. She believes, thai the clothes must have taken fire. She yras awadened by the baby and thus- discovered the fire, whereupon she gave the alar,na to her husband.

CONFLAGRATION AT itfNGSfcAND. Shortly after 2 p.m. yesterday a fire occurred at Mountain View,. Kingslantf, which resulted in the total destruction of at four-roomed cottage which was occupied by Mr Mennie. Tho fire seems to have originated from a defective chnpniey, as the roof was discovered burning close ta» the chimney flashings. The singular part of tho affair is that the family were m the house when the fire originated. Very little of the furniture was saved owing to the firo having a good hold before it was discovered^ Mr Mennie is a loser, for although insured in the Imperial office his policy will nofc cover his loss. This is the more to bo deplored as Mr Mennie is a working man, at present out of employment.

DtfNJ/BIN". A six-roomed house at North E«st Valley, occupied by Vickland, was burned down" It was insuied for £100 in tha Equitable Offico,

CoaoMANDEfc, March 17, At a quarter to nine last night, the Jubilee Hall, "Coromandel News" office* Mr Purcell's tailor shop, and Mr Swayne's residence were destroyed by fire. The fire appears to have broken out in Purcell's* but the origin is a mystery. Most of the contents were saved, but the proprietor of the "Coromandel News" lost his printing press and sustained much damage to other goods. Thero was no insurance on any of the contents of the buildings destroyed, but the block of buildings, which was the property of Mr Wollams, was insured in the Norwioh Union office for £375, Mr Wollams had lately spent £150 in improving the hall.