FIRE AT CLAREVILLE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 19 December 1912, Page 5

FIRE AT CLAREVILLE

TARATAHI STORE DESTROYED. NARROW ESCAPE OF OCCUPANTS (Our Own Correspondent.) A fire at Clareville at an early hour yesterday morning destroyed . the store and Post Ofhce there, owned by Mr S. A. Pull. Tho outbreak was discovered at about 12.80 by Mrs Pull, who aroused her husband, stating that sho heard a crackling noise. Mr Pull wont to investigate, and on entering the store was faced with dense volumes of smoke. H<e grabbed a book from his safe, and made a. hurried exit, the building being a mass ' of flames. Hia wife asid daughter could not descend down the stairs, Mr Pull having to get a ladder and rear it up to a- window, where his wife and daughter were waiting. By the time they had reached the bottom of the ladder, ten feet.of the top of tho ladder was in a blaze. Mrs and Miss Pull then retired to Mrs J. M. Beephey's residence at the school, where they were most hospitably received. How the fire originated'is a mystery, but it is certain that it started in front of the shop. The Post Office was also demolished, but fortunately there were practically no mails there except an odd local* letter or two. The stamps and money order papers were securely locked in a safe, and when this was opened, the papers, though scorched, were alt intart. The insurances are: In the State Office, store £GOO. granary £IOO, stock in granary £150; in the South British, stock and furniture £7OO, Post Office and contents £IOO, total, £IOSO. Mr Pull estimates his loss at a good deal above tin's. Unfortunately for him. ho had only recently had high pressure water installed into the bouse and shop, with hope and tap's at convenient points for fire prevention. In consequence ho had reduced his fire insurance on the stock by gome £4OO t0,£500.