FATAL FIRE AT BALLARAT

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 452, 8 March 1890, Page 5

FATAL FIRE AT BALLARAT

A SENSATIONAL AFFAIR. A CHEMIST ROASTED ALIVE. One of the most sensational conflagrations that have taken place in Ballarat, N.S.W., for many years occurred at an early hour on the morning of February 22nd, when Irwin’s Provincial Hotel, Lydiard-street, was partially destroyed. The Provincial Hotel is an extensive wooden building adjoining the Ballarat West station, and is one of the oldest landmarks in the city. The alarm of fire was given just before midnight, and in a very short time the whole southern portion of the building was in a blaze, the reflection being visible all over the city. The local fire brigades were very quickly on the scene, and by dint of untiring exertions, succeeded in saving the northern part of the hotel. A crowd of some thousands of persons assembled in front of the building, and the progress of the flames was watched with considerable excitement. As the place was composed of very inflammable material and the passages leading to the rooms of lodgers had many ramifications, the question arose at once as to whether the whole of the inmates had escaped. Numbers of the lodgers were helped out of windows by willing hands, but the rumour soon spread that several of those who had been in the hotel were missing. This number was reduced as the missing ones reported themselves, but there still remained to bo accounted for a man named Evan Thomas, well known as a chemist at Clunes some lime back, but now stated to be a resident of Melbourne. Thomas’s room was situated in that part of the hotel in which the lire broke out, and it was thought that be had perished in the flames. As the conflagration was got under, and the firemen penetrated into this portion of the house, these fears proved only too true. The brigadier who first reached the room of the missing man, was horrified at seeing a blackened and charred body lying on the floor. It was that of Thomas. The unfortunate man was lying on his face on tho floor, one arm clasping tho leg of the bedstead. The position was such as to lead to the supposition that he had been endeavouring to escape when he was overcome by the dense volumes of smoke, and suffocated. The body was almost burnt to a cinder, and presented a sickening spectacle. It is thought that the fire originated in Thomas’ room, owing to the unfortunateinmate accidentally upsetting a lighted candle. It has been definitely ascertained since that the other inmates who were reported as missing succeeded in getting out of the burning building, so that the death of Thomas has been the only casualty. Mr Wheeler, M.L.A., of Dayles-; ford, was one of the inmates, and had his hair singed off in pushing his way through the flames.