FIRES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2533, 21 June 1909, Page 5

FIRES.

HOUSE DESTROYED AT BLENHEIM.

[Per Piiess Association.]

BLENHEIM, June 19. Shortly before midnight a fire broke out in a five roomed cottage in High street, owned by J. J. Wensley and occupied by T. Malloy.. The flames had a strong hold when discovered, and nothing was saved. The occupants were absent at a dance at the time of the outbreak. The insurances were: House £l5O in the Phoenix office, T. Malloy’s furniture and effects £75, and piano (property of Malloy’s brother) £37 10s, both in .the Royal office. A DWELLING DESTROYED. ASHBURTON, June 19. A seven-roomed house, owned and occupied by James Bruce, at Seafield, together with its contents, was totally destroyed by fire on Friday morning. The house was insured for £2OO and the furniture for £SO in the Farmers’ Association office. A COAL-YARD FIRE—SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION. DUNEDIN, June 19. At mid-day an employee noticed that the coal stored in Mr. John Mill’s chief coal store, near the wharves, was smouldering. When the brigade arrived dense smoke was issuing from under the wooden joists of a tin building on the closed side, and the whole yard on the open side was black with it. The horses had been safely removed from the stable without a stampede. There axe probably 200 tone fo coal of all kinds in store, but the seat of the outbreak was deep in 600 tons of Blackball coal, some of which had been there for fifteen months. This coal was presumably dry, but had evidently got warm and ignited spontaneously. Two firemen climbed in under the joists to reach the seat of the trouble. Another man had just descended from the ladder when the whole of the wall collided. fell outwards, and buried the ladder. The sunnorts had been - arrial ]y burned through, and the enormous pressure of the coal along a face of 40 yards had carried it clean away. The two men up above were not hurt, but had there been anyone on the ladder, he must have been killed outright. Meantime Tnen had been shovelling the co-al clear on the other face, and a strong pressure of water reached the centre fire and quelled it. The damage done is estimated, at £l5O. The place and contents were insured in tho New Zealand and Standard offices.