SERIOUS FIRE AT HASTWELL'S CLEARING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2831, 24 February 1888, Page 3

SERIOUS FIRE AT HASTWELL'S CLEARING.

Mr E. Collotte burnt out.

The many friends of Mr E. Collotto will regret to hear that owing to the wind having sprung up last night the bush fires at Hastwell's clearing, which left the logs still smouldering, again resumed activity to the extent of spreading amongst the lying timber and stumps, and so, by means of flying sparks, causing the roof of Mr Collotte's house, which is to the north of the tollgate, to take fire, with the result that it was totally destroyed. ■ The following is the narrative of Mr Collotte, who was in Masterton this morning:-"Atabout 12 o'clock in the night Mrs Collotte awakened me and said that the wind was springing up and she asked me if I thought there was any danger of the sparks flying on to the house. I went outside, and thought that as the wind was blowing away from the house, and as nothing seemed wrong that there was no danger. I accordingly went to bed again. At about two o'clock this morning, however, Mrs Collotte again called me, saying ths room was full of smoke. I got up, aud found half the roof of the back part'of the house a burning mass. Mrs Collotte, who by this time had recognised the extreme danger, took the child in her arms aud ran, iu her night apparel as she was, to the tollgate house for shelter. I had only time to save a few bed-clothes when the whole place was in flames, so that with the exception of the few things I managed to slip on at the outbreak, the whole of my clothes and effects are completely destroyed, and Mrs Collotte has not even a single article of clothing left or a dress to wear. I also lose besides the house and furniture part of the greenhouse and about £GO worth of trees, My insurances were £IOO on the house and £l5O on the furniture, both in the South British Office. My loss above the insurance I estimate at about JGJGO."

Mr Collotte also informed us that this morning the wind had gone down, and all danger seemed over. As an old resident, and as a very popular man .with a large circle of friends, Mr Collotte will have the heartfelt sympathy of all who know him, in his unfortunate experience. Indeed, it may be mentioned that when the bush fires at Hastwell's were previously at their height, we were inundated with anxious inquiries as to the safety of Mr Collotte's place, and the satisfaction that was then felt at its escape, will now only be equalled by the regret that is felt at its uutiinely destruction.