FIRE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 826, 23 December 1882, Page 2

FIRE.

About half-past twelve o’clock this morning the fire bells rang out a sharp alarm, and a locomotive at the station shrieked in concert with the bells. Late as it was there was a general turn-out and no time was lost in reaching tbs scene of the fire for the flames were leaping high in the air. The .burning premises proved to be those occupied by Mr W. R. Dunn; reaper and expert, Ppter street. The Ashbuvton Fire Brigade and the Western, Brigade were both quickly on the groqnd, but the flames had attained too firm a hold on the wooden workshop to render the efforts of the firemen of any avail and very soon the burning building was in ruins. The new “fish-tail” channel strainer was. used for the first time, at .this fire and was a complete success. ’We say, it was used for the first time, but it has been tried experimentally of course before, and the predictions of its . success then - made were last night fully verified. Fortunately a long iron shed at the rear of Mr Dunn’s workshop containing timber,' &c., was saved. Mr Dunnwas away at Loagbeach at the time of the disaster, and Mrs Dunn and family were in Christchurch. The only person on the premises was a lad named Porter, empldyed at the works. He says he was awakened by hearing the flames roaring, and looking, up saw the shavings in a blaze.. He is wholly unable to throw any lighten the origin of the fire. Mr W. Elz, coachbuilder, says he was passing the premises but ten,minutes before the alarm was given, and he noticed nothing at all amiss then. The premises were insured in the North British office for L2OO and the stock was insured in the same pffi e for L 75, and Mr Dunn estimates his loss over, and above these amounts at about a couple of hundred poundi. The disaster is a peculiarly unfortunate one, coming at this season just as harvesting operations ,are commencing and Mr Dunn was getting his hands full of work. He is to be sincerely sympathised with. The premises were built about five years ago by Mr H o3So yi who carried on a foundry business in them.