FIRE AT CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 301, 14 June 1898, Page 2

FIRE AT CAMBRIDGE.

Akout three o'clock this morning a sixroomed house in Bryce-street, Cambridge, was totally destroyed by fire. It was occupied by Mr R. Kelly, of the Bank of New Zealand, and was lately purchased by Miss Franklin, of Paeroa, from Mr F. J. Sanders, who built it and occupied it for the many years he was in Cambiiilge. No one knows how the fire originated, for at the time the occupants were awakened hy the smoke the whole place was in flames ; indeed it was with the greatest difficulty that Mrs Kelly got her husband out of the building. Mr Kelly has been unwell for some time, and has been unable to attend to business, and at the present he is completely crippled with sciatica. Thanks to the exertions of Messrs H. Webber, F. Armer, Craig, M. McDermott, F Sidford and Archdea. con Willis the fire was prevented liom spreading to the adjoining house, occupied by Miss Marshall, but it was touch and go with it, for the window was broken by the heat, and the blankets hung against the house were scorched. If Miss Marshall's hid caught fire the whole row would have gone, the other two houses, belonging to Mrs Forbes and Mr McFarlane, being much closer together. Archdeacon Willis kindly took Mr Kelly and his family across to his house, and made them comfortable. The shock to Mr Kelly will be great for there was a hard irost at the time of the fire. Everything was lost, there not being time to save even an article of clothing. The insurances were £l5O on the house in the Commercial Union and £IOO on the furniture in the North British and Mercantile.