Fire in Balclutha destroys house

A sevenroomed dwelling, situated at Rosebank, Balclutha, was totally destroyed by fire at about 4.30am yesterday. The house, which was the property of Mrs James Willocks, North Balclutha, was tenanted at the time by Mr W. Haynes, Government meat inspector.

When Mr and Mrs Haynes retired in the evening all appeared well, but having cause to rise at about 4 o’clock in the morning to give attention to a sick child, Mr Haynes found that the rear portion of the house was ablaze. On the receipt of an alarm, although the house was situated outside the town boundary, the Balclutha Fire Brigade was promptly upon the scene, but the lack of a good supply of water prevented it from saving the house, which was soon a mass of flames, and speedily became demolished. Only a very few articles were saved. The origin of the outbreak is supposed to be a defective chimney.