The inmates on being aroused and proceeding to the garden found that the laundry attached to the main building was enveloped in flames.
No serious danger was at first anticipated, but it was decided to seek the assistance of the neighbours.
Mr F. W. Petre and others soon arrived and water was thrown on the burning building. It was deemed advisable to pull down the verandah connecting the two buildings, but this undertaking proved very arduous, and it was only half completed when the workers were alarmed to see a huge body of flame bursting through the pantry window into the main building.
A strong south-west wind was blowing, and as matters had now taken a serious turn the efforts to subdue the fire were redoubled.
In that part of the house where the flames had gained access there was a staircase, by which means the upper part of the building fell a prey to the destructive element. It was now recognised that the building was doomed.
Large volumes of dense smoke filled the atmosphere, and the flames spread with rapidity. The Salvage Corps and some members of the Fire Brigade, who had arrived sometime previously, turned their attention to saving some of the valuable furniture.
However, owing to the tremendous heat and the suffocating smoke, very little was got out of the burning building. The furniture was exceptionally valuable, being of antique pattern. Numerous works of art, plate, and jewellery were included amongst it, together with Mr Cargill's library.
Beyond the grand piano and some rare china, none of the contents of the building were saved.
The house itself, which contained 21 rooms, was built of concrete about 15 years ago at a cost of 14,000.
The fire was first discovered by Mr Phimester, who gave the alarm. It is supposed to have been caused by the fire that had been burning under the boiler in the laundry on the previous evening, when a ball had been given.
Those who were in the house at the time of the outbreak were Mr E. B. Cargill and his four daughters, the Misses Annie, Isabel, Fanny, and Ellen Cargill; Miss Reid, of Elderslie; Mr and Mrs Walter Cargill (Colonial Bank) and their child; Mr J. C. Marshall; Mr Langdall, of London; and two servants. No one was seriously hurt, the only accident of any kind being a slight burn sustained by Mr Cargill over one of his eyes.
There was an abundance of water on the premises, but it could not be used. Under the laundry, and therefore not to be got at, was a tank containing 3000 or 4000 gallons, and there were two large tanks upstairs, but communication with these was also cut off at the time the fire broke into the house.
The Salvage Corps, under Superintendent Jacobs, a detachment of men from the St Clair Battery, under Captain Morrison, and several members of the City Fire Brigade did good work, but owing to the circumstances they were unable to do much.
Mr Cargill will be a heavy loser by the fire, the property being valued at 17,000 over and above the amount of the insurance. A few years ago he held a policy for 3300, and about three weeks ago further reduced it to 2200.