FIRE.
Shortly before noon to-day a fire broke out in Jago’s flax and wool store, an iron building of large dimensions, situated close to the Stuart street jetty. Although separated from every other building, the inflammable nature of the flax in store placed the surrounding property in great danger, for it burnt with an intensity and fierceness that precluded every chance of subduing the flames by playing directly upon them. The fire bell rung out its peal a few minutes before noon, and in less than five minutes past twelve the Fire Brigade, with their hose were on the ground. There was not a moment to be lost, for the wind blew gently from the south-east, and within six or eight feet of the blazing flax, separated only by a thin partition wall of galvanised iron, was a large stack of deals (wooden planks) belonging to Messrs Guthrie, Asher, and Co., close to which were several smaller piles, and beyond them fences, cottages, and piles of firewood. The hose was fixed at once upon the hydrant at the junction of Cumberland street and Stuart street, and in less than three minutes after the water began to play upon the burning mass it was evident that if nothing occurred to interrupt the supply the danger to the surrounding property could be averted. To this object the efforts of the Brigade were at once directed, and two streams were thrown upon the north-end of the building and upon the pile of timber. Suddenly both streams ceased, and for some minutes the fire again appeared likely to obtain the mastery. The cause of the interruption was the breaking of the neck off the hydrant in consequence of too great tension of the hose, or probably in consequence of the well-intended but ill-directed efforts of too many volunteers to aid the Brigade in their efforts. This mishap rendered it necessary to shift the hose into Gaol street. During this time a hose belonging to Messrs Howden and Co., for the use of the distillery, was doing good service by throwing water upon the stacks of timber within its range, and thus preventing them igniting; but it was too short to be effective on the fire itself. The Brigade, however, promptly availed themselves of this source of supply, and fixing one of the hose on to it, they resumed repressive operations; and although we believe the upper part of the timber stack was once on fire, no further damage was done to it. Very soon the thin sheets of iron began to fail, and several members of the Brigade, as well as others had narrow escapes, as one by one they separated from the burning woodwork. In less than half an-hour the roof fell in, and a full supply of water being again obtained and poured freely upon the flames, they were got under so as to save a quantity of salt, which of course will be more or less damaged. In Stuart street there is a fire-plug opposite the Gaol, and it was intended to have fixed a hose on there, to play upon the flames on that part of the building fronting the street, but twenty minutes were lost in searching for the fire plug, which had been covered over with metal to a depth of two or three inches. We understand that the brigade have made frequent applications to the Corporation to have all the fire plugs pitched round, and if this had been done, a quantity of property now destroyed, might have been saved.
During this interval the only water available was through a small tube from the gaol. We can scarcely too strongly condemn the supineness evinced in this respect. The value of the goods destroyed is greater than would be the cost of pitching round every fire plug in the City. We trust the lesson so dearly purchased will produce its proper effect, and that this much needed improvement will be attended to. It was rumored that the supply of water was deficient, But this was not the case. If anything, the pressure was greater than the hose would bear. It was equal to 155 pounds to the inch, and five lengths of hose unable to withstand it, burst.
During the height of the fire considerable excitement was caused by the fact becoming known that a man was in the flames. The report which was not credited in some quarters at first proved to be true. A man named Thomas Homan, said to be a carpenter by trade, was observed by a portion of the crowd in front of the Stuart street entrance of the burning building to walk deliberately through the door into the flames. There were some who maintained that his intention was to rescue a desk, but the man’s after declarations, not to say anything of the extreme improbability of such a thing, seeing its utter hopelessness, dispel that idea. There are also those who stated the floor gave way under him; but those whose nearness enabled them to judge, deny that such was the case. Mr Joseph Mills was the first to attempt his rescue. He rushed forward and seized him by one heel, but his hold slipped, the wind blew a sheet of flame in his face, and he was obliged to retire. The hose was then turned on. After considerable trouble he was got out by Mr Hughes of the fire brigade, and his appearance was truly horrible. His legs, back, hands and one side of his face were frightfully burnt, the skin having peeled off in many places. He was placed in a cab and conveyed to the Hospital, where it was found that the injuries were of a very severe character, so much so indeed, that his life is despaired of. The more serious of his injuries are to his back and head; the front of his body is almost uninjured. That the man was not sober there is every reason to believe; his statement to the constables in whose charge he was, taken to the Hospital, was that he intended to destroy himself, and his act would seem weight to the statement.
We have not been able to obtain accurate particulars of the various losses. The building was insured for L400. Messrs Bates, Sise, and Co., Messrs McLandress, Hepburn, artd Co., were, we learn, fully covered; Messrs Campbell and Low had a quantity of goods stored there, we believe to the value of L1500, which are said to be fully insured. -Evening Star, 31/10/1870.
LATEST TELEGRAMS.
[from our own correspondents.] FIRE IN DUNEDIN. Dunedin, Oct. 31. A fire broke out last night in Jago's flax stores, containing large quantities of flax. The building and its contents were totally destroyed.
Insurance had been effected in the New Zealand Company for one thousand and thirty-five pounds.
A man fell into the fire and was dragged out nearly dead.
4.18 p.m. At the fire to-day the man did not fall in, but rushed in, resisting all attempts at resistance. His name is Thomas Homan, a carpenter. He is now lying in the hospital, conscious, and is expected to recover. He states he was delirious at the time, having abstained some days from drink after a debauch. -Grey River Argus, 1/11/1870.
An Inquest. — An inquiry touching the death of Thomas Homan, was held at the Hospital to-day, at noon, before Mr T. M. Hocken, City Coroner. The first witness examined was Mr George Howell, householder, who stated that he had known the deceased for about twelve months; he was 30 years of age, unmarried, and a carpenter by occupation. He last saw him alive about half-past ten o’clock on Monday evening, when his mother wanted him to sell some timber belonging to him to witness. He told his mother to leave it be for a few days, when it would be all right, and when she asked him what he meant, he got very excited, and refused to hold any further conversation. From his conduct, witness thought at the time he intended to do something to himself, but did not think it necessary to draw the attention of the police to him, because he was frequently in the state he then was. He was quite delirious, and had often been in that state, consequent upon taking drink, during the last three weeks. He was very much depressed in spirits through not having been able to obtain work, and took to drink. Deceased’s mother came home on Saturday, when he knocked off drinking. Witness came to the conclusion that he ought to be watched, but did not think it necessary for him to communicate with the police. He went to the fire at Jago’s store on Monday, and when he heard of a man having jumped into the flames, although he was told he was named Lewis, it struck him that it was the deceased. A Mr Rountree, a neighbor of the deceased, deposed to having seen him at nine o’clock on Monday morning; he was then suffering from delerium tremens. Mr H. W. Murray said he was at the fire, and saw deceased walk deliberately into the flames, turn himself round and fall upon his back, and at the same time endeavor to push himself further into the fire, Mr Mills and himself endeavored to get him out, but did not succeed, through the flames being so strong. He could not have fallen in accidentally. Mr J. R. Mills corroborated the last witness’s evidence, and stated that while he went away to endeavor to have the deceased taken into the Gaol because of the crowd, a man named McKay and Mr Stewart, one of Fire Brigade, so soon as the water was directed to the spot, got hold of him by the legs and brought him out. Witness did not see the deceased struggling in the flames, as stated by the newspapers. Had known the deceased for 15 years, and the same evening visited him at Hospital. He seemed to be rational for a few moments, and told witness that he had had an offer of work from Mr Pritchard, blacksmith; that he did not known why he went into the fire, but he had been running qp apd down his own yard until he had got out of breath, when the firebell rang he went down to see what was going on, and walked into the fire. Dr Yates, resident surgeon at the Hospital, slated that the deceased was admitted on Monday; he was suffering from severe burns. He was then sensible. Witness asked him how he got into the fire, and he replied that he went in intentionally. Witness also asked him if be had been drinking, and he stated he had not for the last week, but had been drinking before that. He was sensible for a couple of days; then became delirous, and died yesterday about one o’clock. The injuries received were of such a character that recovery was hopeless. He thought the delirium resulted from the injuries received at the fire. — One of the jurymen demurred to the general view that the deceased was suffering from temporary insanity at the time he walked into the fire. He said it seemed to him that it was a case of most deliberate suicide, arising from the bad drink supplied here, causes which he wished to attack. On the Coroner explaining that a verdict of felo de se implied that the deceased was in full mental vigor and health at the time he destroyed himself, which was not the case here, the juryman withdrew his opposition. The Coroner remarked that he agreed that every case of suicide should not be slurred over with a verdict of temporary insanity; but in this instance it was self-evident that it was insanity. Of the many cases he had investigated, and they numbered hundreds, fully 90 per cent. were connected in some way with drink; but with that question they had now nothing to do. The jury returned a verdict that deceased died from severe injuries and burns caused by himself whilst in a state of temporary insanity. -Evening Star, 4/11/1870.
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