FIRE AT KURIPUNI.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10049, 21 May 1910, Page 5

FIRE AT KURIPUNI.

A fire occurred about 2 a.m. on Friday In South Road, a six roomed house 6wh6d by Mr H. Better being totally destroyed. The building had just been erected, and the painters, Messrs Cole and Sons, had finished, but had not taken their tools away, and as these were all destroyedthey will be heavy losers. The building was covered by a builders' risk of £3OO in the Atlas Assurance Office, for* which Mr S. Rj Edwards is the local agent. The fire brigade received the alarm by telephone from Mr W. Dairymple, whoss residence, adjoined, and although they arrived a few minutes later, the flames had a firm hold of the entire structure. The pressure of water was very poor, and owing to the intense : heat a brand) had to be turned on to Mr Dalrymple's house for a time. The blaze lit up the (surrounding country, and an immense number of persons hurried to the scene en bicycles and in motor cars. Mr Dalrymple says he was awakened by a noise as if some person was among the fowls in his yard. He went out, and discovered the fire. Mr Edwards' house is also close to the scene, and the terrific glare into the bedroom first woke Mrs Edwards, who thought her own place was alight. Messrs Dalrymple and Edwards were therefore the first on the scene, andstate that even then the building was doomed, the fire having complete mastery. The house of Mr Wyatt, on the other side, was sheltered by.a row of trees, and escaped the heat. There was not a breath of wind blowing, otherwise the danger of the fire spreading would have been very great. The pressure of water was qUite inadequate for the firemen's requirements and much comment on the subject was heard from bystanders.