HOME BURNED.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1921, Page 5

HOME BURNED.

FIRE AT NEW PLYMOUTH. CHILD’S NARROW ESCAPE. Just .after midday yesterday a twostoreyed. wooden building, comprising eight rooms, on the Mangorei Road was completely destroyed by fire. The New Plymouth brigade was notified of the outbreak and the smell fire engine j was despatched from the central station, bin nothing could be done in fighting the [ fire, as though the area is served by the water mains there aj-e no fire plugs in the vicinity. The house, which was formerly owned by Mr. Tl. Dempsey, had been acquired by Mr. David Rea, recently of Uruti, from Air. W. Colson, and he h-d just moved into the dwelling. Constable Parkinson, w r ho was the tenant of the building, was still in occupation, having just completed preparations to remove to another house in about a week’s time. Thu ten months’ old child of Mrs. Rea had a narrow escape. Airs. Rcu and Mrs. Parkinson, who were at home with the younger children of the 1 ormer, were first alarmed by a little girl of three rushing down the stabs to them with the news that there was a fire upstairs and the baby was in the room. Airs. Rea had left the baby girl on the verandah and had no idea, that she had made her way up the stairs. Gn reaching the seat of the fire, the- only unoccupied bedroom in the house, they found that flames were bursting from the ceiling at the top of a wardrobe. Fortunately the baby was on the opposite sidl of the room to the wardrobe, but even so the heat was intense. The baby was crying, and after she had been removed from her perilous position It was found that th© fierce heat had scorched her face. Efforts were then made to save some of the effects. Neighbors soon arrived and Mr. Healy and a boy of 12, Atiu Te I Puni, gave particularly -Valuable assistance A piano and a sideboard belonging to Mr. and Airs. Rea were the principal things saved. Unfortunately, a number of smaller articles whidh the ladies removed before other assistance arrived could not be removed from the vicinity of the house in time and were I drawn into the destruction when the flames reached their height. David Rea, the eldest boy, made an attempt to save his mother’s hand-bag, which contained about £4O in coin, notes and cheques. Being unable to get up the stairs, he climbed a verandah post and reached the room, but the smoke was so dense that a groping search failed to locate the hand-bag. A complete sweep of everything was made by the flames, and in a short time only the chimneys remained. The suddenness of the outbreak can be guaged by the fact that a boy who was engaged chopping trees at the edge of the lawn near the house noticed nothing till the flames broke through. The origin of the outbreak is a complete mystery, as the flames appeared to start in the ceiling of the only unoccupied room on the top storey. The fire had a strong hold when noticed.

The house, which was insured for £l2OO in the Yorkshire Office, was an up-to-date building, probably worth over £2OOO.

Mr. and Mrs. Rea are heavy losers, as practically the whole of their furniture, clothing and effects were destroyed and were not covered by insurance, no adjustment of the former policy having been made since removal only a few days ago. Constable Parkinson had a policy of £l»0 with the National Company on his furniture and effects, but his loss will be considerably above this figure.