BIG FIRE AT STRATFORD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 272, 7 April 1911, Page 5

BIG FIRE AT STRATFORD

BOARDING-HOUSE BURNED. SEVERAL VERY NARROW ESCAPES. The Trocadcro at Stratford was totally destroyed by lire early yesterday morning. The Post reports that for* tunately the morning was calm, for had there been a strong wind blowing towards Broadway it is difficult to say where the disaster might have ended. As it was, the block is almost entirely i destroyed, the fire brigade being utterly unable to do more than prevent the Are spreading through the north wall to the railway signal-box. The building destroyed was of wood and iron, two storeys in height, and used as a private hotel, containing some sixty rooms, and in addition a row of shops fronting Regan street. The fire appears to have originated at some point in the interior of the building on the lower floor, and mosfl probably in the kitchen. It spread wit* startling rapidity. About one hundred persons were sleeping in the building at the time. Fortunately all who were in the building escaped with their lives, Three of the inmates were seriously in* jured, and arc now under treatment in the Stratford Hospital. Mr. Sehvyn East was the first person in the building to become aware of the fire. He was awakened by a sound like, glass being smashed, and came to tb« co»clusion thai the place wag being broken into. He lay in bed for a tin*; but as the noise continued, he thougw it was necessary to make enquiries. On opening the door of his room lie was almost blinded by smoke. At once he ran along the passage shouting "Fire!" and knocking at all doors. After he had satisfied himself that he had awakened everybody, he turned back to endeavor to save some of his effects, but apparently somebody had opened a French window opening on the balcony, and the flames rushed along the passage and made any attempt in that direction impossible. Mr. East states that soon after he opened his door there was a sudden roar and flames seemed to break out everywhere. This supports thfl theory that the fire had been in progress for a considerable time before it was discovered. Mr. F. W. Wilkie was early on the scene. He sent for Dr. Paget, who first went to the residence of Mr. John Black, to which place Mr. Wilkie had carried two young ladies whom he had found wandering about in Juliet street in a dazed state, and very scantily clad. One of these was Miss Thompson, employed at the Telephone Exchange, and the other Miss K. G. Corson, late of Dunedln, Mr. A. Spence's milliner. Dr. Paget found them suffering from severe burns, their feet being in a particularly oad state. The skin was entirely off the soles of their feet, which were en- v crusted with sand and grit The suffer- v ers were later removed to the hospital. Dr. Carbery states that Mrs Craigie is suffering from a badly sprained ankle, burns on the right arm, and internal contusion. Mr. Craigie is badly burnt about the face and arms. JSireman Bimmonds is suffering from a spmiaedankle and Fireman Instan from a wound in the palm of his hand. All these are at present under treatment by Dr. Carbery. Several people lost all their possessions in the fire, and the Mayor granted temporary help to some of those who were without clothes. One of the boarders in the housn, writing to a friend in New Plymouth, says he lost everything in the Are, but he supposes he must be thankful that things were not worse. "It is a marvel," he continues, "that I didn't break my neck. I had to «et out of an upstairs window the best way I could. I was on the far side of the house, so was cut off from all fire escapes, and also from the balcony. When the house was aroused the whole place seemed to be a mass of flames. Thev were raging right through my room, r didn't even have time to get my watch. I lost everything but the suit, of pyjamas I was sleeping in, including a fair amount of cash. The woman in the room next door to me had to drop from a window the same as I did."