FIRES.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14838, 2 December 1913, Page 4

FIRES.

STORE BURNT AT AMBERLEY

A serious fii-e occurred in the f main" street of Amberley on Saturday after-; noon. A buLding owned by Mr Busch and tenanted by Mr W. H. ithodes a_ _ general store, was seen to be on fire at 2.30. In a short space or -unwilling hands arrived ana, aided by a number of ladies, poured a constant, supply of water on the flames. The heice heat ultimately drove back: those lighting the fire, and in a few: minutea garage owned by Messrs Frew; Bros, caught, but the cars -were removed to safety. There-was a danger at this stage of tho wholo block on the main street and North road succumbing to the flames. However, twenty men climbed on to the roof of _ Frew's garage audi being well supplied with water, succeeded in conning the fire to the garage and saving the Town Hall, a few feet distant. By this time the fire in llhodes's store was blazing fiercely, but luckily the wind (jvhich was against those combating it) l took a slight turn and, helped by 'hand chemical extinguishers, the outbreak in the garage was got under. A small portion of llhodes's stock was saved. One shed and the stables were saved, but the building was completely destroyed. The rear of the garage Was completely gutted. The insurances were:—Rhodes'- stock £10C0 (about £200 worth being saved), building £400. both in the Victoria office; Frew's garage, £150, and stock £150 (stock saved), both in'the Royal office.

The Fire Brigade turned out to a fire in the fence of the Barbadoes street Cemetery at 3 p.m. yesterday; Tho cause of the outbreak was probably due to some passer-by dropping a match in tbe dry grass, whicfe grows thickly round the bottom of the thorn hedge. No difficulty "was -experienced in putting the fire out before _any damage was done.

(_-_•«:' ASSOC?ATfW _RT~S~A-«.)

WELLINGTON, December 1. Shortly before 4 o'clock this morning a fire broke out in a wooden build-, ing of two storeys in Lower Molesworth street. No. 14, included in the Hotel Cecil lease, and occupied as a boardinghouse by Miss Louisa Rowe. The flames spread to the adjoining house, also of two storeys, No. 18, and also occupied hy Miss Rowe in connexion with her business, and by Standidge • and Co., painters and paperhangers, and before they were suppressed considerable damage had been done to both buildings, and their contents were severely damaged. The insurances in connexion with No. 18, which waa owned by Mr W. H. Short, of Nelson, were:—On the building in the Sun office £1100, and on tbe contents in the Atlas office £285; No. 14, on the bnilding in the Norwich Union office £900. There was no insurance on the contents of Miss Rowe's house. Standidge's stock whs insured in tho Yorkshire office for £500.