FATAL FIRES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1507, 18 May 1886, Page 3

FATAL FIRES.

At four -o'clock on Friday morning a firs broke out in a large three-storey boarding-house in Queen street, Auckland, kept by Henry Borsboom. The walls of the house were of brick but all the partitions were of woed. When the fire was discovered it had obtained a strong hold of the lower portion of tbe building. Borsboom showed- great earnestness it directing his employees to save the boarders, bat seven who were unacquainted with the premises jumped from the third floor, 30 feet from, the ground. One of them, whose name is unknown, died after being conveyed to the hospital. He was apparently a man of 45 years of age, sft 6iu in height, slender build, fair complexion,- whiskers and moustache brown, bat. turning grey, and three of his upper teeth put.. Edwin Neill, John Fondyke, Thomas Orr, Hogh McLaughlie, and Alfred Finch were all taken to the hospital seriously injured. Mrs Borsboom threw her baby out of the window into the arms of Constable McGoverin, who caught it. The mother then crawled along the, parapet to an adjoining shop and was reieued by a ladder. Borsboom's furniture was insured for £BOO in the Hanseatic office, and the building for £2500. He estimates bis loss at £SOO and over. The Fire Inspector some time back reported to the City Council that 'the building was unsuitable, fpr a boarding-heuse. The acaccidents were caused by a panic amongst some of the boarders. Borsboom Bent waiters to conduct them down stairs, and some found no difficulty in getting out. On Saturday all the men injured by the fire were doing well ; - except Forsdyke and Neill, who are still low, and doubts are entertained of their recovery. A|uantityof carbonaceous matter, 41bs in weight, was found in the ruins of tbe fire on Saturday, aad it is believed to be the remains of a human body. A fatal fire took place on Saturday night in a three-roomed wooden house it Mornington, Dunedin. Mrs Stekes, wife of a laborer, bad put her five children to bed. The eldest, Edward, uged 11, and the second youngest, Jaoe, slept in her own room, and she left a lamp buruing on a chest of drapers there. The other two—Albert, 9, and Amy, 6J —were in the next, bedroom, whilst a baby was in the cradle in the kitchen. Mrs Stokes was in the kitchen waiting the return of her husband from town, when she heard an explosion, and on looking she found her bedroom all ablaze. She called out to the eldest boy, who caught up his little sister sleeping with.him, and they made their escape, but Mrs Stokes instead of matching the baby from the cradle ran out for assistance. The boy Albert managed -to escape, but bis sister Amy who was in the same room became confused and appears to have, gone into the room Where the fire started. All attempts to reach the two children when the alarm Was given proved unavailing, and their bodies were afterwards discovered very much ohwrred. The house was owned by Mr Muir, and the furniture waa insured for £6O.