FIRE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2734, 12 February 1910, Page 3

FIRE.

SIX-ROOMED HOUSE TOTALLY

DESTROYED

At a ccujfie of .minutes past ten o’clock last night an alarm of fire was sounded from the Victoria bellry, and a glare was observable in the direction of Haiti. The outbreak was eventually discovered to be in a six-roomed house right at the top end of Graham Road, and the building, with its contents, was totally destroyed. The house was owned by Mr. J. Hinton, and occupied by Mr. Harry Aston, and the origin of the fire is shrouded in mystery. There was no one in the building at the time of the outbreak, and it was evident that it had been burning for some considerable time before the alarm was given. Mr, Aston states that nobody to bis knowledge was in the house since lie left it at 8 o’clock in the morning. Airs. Aston and the children are at present- on a visit to Wairoa, and although Air Aston had been in the habit of sleeping there, he has been having his meals in town. The last time a lire was lighted in the house was on Thursday morning, and there was no lire lit yesterday morning. •When the Fire Brigade arrived on the scene the house was almost completely destroyed, and had it not been for the efforts of Constable Aloore and a number of young men who were there early, nothing would have been saved. A s it was, only a few articles of bedding of comparatively little value were saved. There was an element of danger to the spectators of the fire, as the house contained a number of cartridges, which, as the fire reached them, exploded. With a lead of hose, the firemen succeeded in extinguishing the flames, but the house was completely gutted. In the absence of Air. Hinton last evening the amount of the insurance on the house, if any, was not ascertainable. The contents of the house were insured for £‘2lo in the Australian Alliance Office.