Destruction by fire of the Dunedin Tramway Sheds.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 209, 6 December 1880, Page 2

Destruction by fire of the Dunedin Tramway Sheds.

• ' Dunedin, Nov. 5. One of the most disastrous fires which ever occurred, in Dunedin, broke out about four o’clock this morning in the large wooden building, on the reclaimed land, used as the engine and-tramway shed by Mr. David Proudfoot. It is not known how the fire originated. Two men were on tho premises at the time, cleaning engines, and so quickly did the flames spread that they had barely time to escape. The building was completely .destroyed, also thirty-three.; dram cars, seven engines and a tremendous quantity of oats. The insurances were : —Stock and plant—Northern, L 2,500 ; New Zealand, L 2,000 ; National, LI,OOO ; Ham-burg-Magdeburg, LI,OOO ; South British, LI,OOO, Norwich Union, LI,000; Australian Alliance, L3OO ; Standard, LoOO. Building—Northern, LSOO ; Transatlantic, L 500; Hamburg, LSOO. Oats — Northern, L3OO. It seems almost certain that this is a case of incendiarism. The amounts above named wore obtained from the insurance agents, but Mr. Proudfoot says ho was insured for L 14,000. He estimates his loss at L 7,000 above this, without reckoning the loss by suspension of traffic. Only three cars are left. A cable message will be sent to America tomorrow for Mhcrs, and as more are on the way here, every effort will bo made to keep up the traffic. An inquest on the fire is to be held.