FIRE AT THE OLD MEN'S HOME.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 90, 21 April 1902, Page 2

FIRE AT THE OLD MEN'S HOME.

A very narrow escape of a serious fir», if not the total detraction of the Old Men's Home, occutivd a little after 4 a.m. on Siturday. It appears that ore of the inmatdS, nst\ued Jordan, lighted a candle which foil against one of the pillows of his bed, which igtdted. Jordan, who is a cripple, threw the pillow on the floor and called for help. It was some time before ho could g*t. as*i"tance, but finally some of the othei inmates turned t-ut and put all tb» water handy on the flames. Oae of the inmatis (Alcorn) nin out tbo hose, and bad just got the fire under wheo Mr Lister, tha custodian, appeared on the scene. Owing to the absurd position in which his quarters arsi situa'od he did kio'j h»ar the outcry rmde by the | old men till calkd by his two lit'.le boys, who, »lsepin<_' ne iii-r tbe men's quarters, heard the disturbance and called their father. Great credit idue to Alom for so promptly getting the hose out, because, on the fire ieiiig gob undor, it, was fouod that the fluoi was completely burned through, in one place, and badly charred in another. As the night was very windy, had the fire once got properly started, nothing could have saved the buildiag from total destruction, and, probably, several of the men, who ara very old and infirm, would have lost their lives.