FIRE AT METHVEN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1422, 2 December 1886, Page 2

FIRE AT METHVEN.

'■ t 12.3) this morning Messrs Gibbs Bros' goner d store at Methven was discovered t > be on fire, and la a short tune was totally destroyed. Mr J. G Ichrist was the first to see the fire, he observing a glare from his bedroom via dow. Ho at once gave the alarm, but the fire spread so rapid y that nothin , could Le dona to s ive the building or stock. The fire was first noticed in a iit’lo room on the north side of the store, where Mr John Ui’iba sleeps whtn ac nurns, but on this occasion he was absent with his waggon. Mr Jonathan Hibbs states that fta lit a fire in this room last night and when he left the store for his private house, at 10.15 p.na . he orefu'ly put all the burning pieces of wood under the grata t is presumed the fire was originated through one of these embers catohi ig the s andera of the mantelpiece. The stock was insured in the Liverpool, Loudon and Globe Office, tor which Mr W. Morgan is the Methven agent, for £IOOO, aad the building for £45) In the South British Office, lor which Mr R, Patton is the agent. The firm’s safe proved to bo a bad one, and all the books were partly destroyed as well' as the insurance policies and some bank notes and cheques. Mr Hibbs s»ys his loss wjU be considerably over the insurance, bat the precise amount bo Cinuot jet say.