BLAZE AT NAPIER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10056, 30 May 1910, Page 5

BLAZE AT NAPIER.

PRIVATE HOTEL DESTROYED. FLAMES ATTACK- OTHER BUILDINGS. MAN BADLY INJURED, THROUGH JUMPING. By Telegraph—Press -Association. NAPIEK, May 29. Shortly after nine o'clock on Saturday night, a fire broke out in Mr T. Slade's Private Hotel on the Marine Parade. The flames quickly spread, to the adjoining buildings, and did a large amount of damage Before the outbreak was subdued. The private hotel, a wooden twu-storey building containing thirty-two rooms, was, with its contents, completely destroyed. A cottage of seven rcoms, also owned by Mr Slade, and used in connection with his boarding establishment, was badly gutted. The majority of the boarders lost everything except what they were wearing. Mr George Rymer's residence, and the cottage occupied by Mr Edward Ashton, and owned by Mr A. L. Williams, also cauaht fire, and both were completely destroyed. Slade's stables and those of Mr John Skews, cab proprietor, were also destroyed. The horses ard vehicles, however, were saved. The flames reached the scullery of Skew's house, but were then checked by the brigade. Other buildings were considerably scorched. There was a strong weaterly wind blowing when the fire was at its height. A man named James O'Connor, aged about 55, who slept in a portion of the loft of Slade's stables, was badly hurt through jumping to the ground. He lost his clothing and about £2O in cash. The insurances.are as follows: Slade's Private Hotel, £1,300 on the building in the Liverpool and London and Globe, furniture £640 in the Australian Alliance; Slade's cottage £2OO on the building in the New Zealand Insurance office and £IOO in the Royal Exchange, furniture £IOO in the Australian Alliance; Siade's stables, £IOO in the Royal Exchange; Skew's dwelling £2OO, stables £3O, horse feed £lO, all in the Phoenix; Rymer's building, £7OO, and furniture £2OO, in the National; Ashton's furniture £2OO in the Queensland Insurance Company; and Williams' building £3OO, in the Alliance. Two of Slade's boarder?, viz., Mr S. T. Jenkinson and Miss R. A. Midgey had their personal eii'ects insured for £SO each in the Norwich Union, Rymer's residence was built about four years ago, at a cost of £l,lOO.

NAPIER'S NARROW ESCAPE. FURNITURE PILED IN THE STREET. THE WATER PRESSURE. (From Our Special Correspondent). NAPIER, Sunday Night. The Marine Parade was the scena last night cf a somewhat serious conflagration. Fortunately it broke out early in the evening, at 9.15 o'clock, otherwise the consequences would, have been more disastrous. The outbreak occurred in the stables at the back of Slade'a boarding house, a well-appointed two-storey building, and a houEe that was favourably known to many Wairarapa visitors to Napier. A fatrong breeze was blowing at the time, and as the huge flames shot into the air, a great concourse of people gathered to watch the progress of events. Some little time passed before the brigade arrived, and it was then found that tho water pressure was very poor. However, when it became better, the firemen did good woik, and succeeded in confining the fire to the buildings it had by that time attacked. Slada's house and stables, and two dwelling houses, were completely destroyed. The direction of the breeze was weslerly, the flames and showers of sparks being blown seawards. Had the wind been easterly or southerly a fire that Napier would have remembered for many a day would have occurred. A number of people living on the Parade were a good deal startled and for some distance on either side of the fire there was a considerable array on the street of furniture and household goods generally, which had been hastily bundled together. The costumes of some of those who had temporarily abandoned their homes in the excitement revealed the fact that there are some inhabitants here who exercise a belief in the advantages of going to bed early in a practical manner. The fire caused a double gap in the fine and evenly grown rows of trees along the Parade.