CROWD SEES CASHEL ST. FIRE

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30956, 12 January 1966, Page 1

CROWD SEES CASHEL ST. FIRE

Hundreds of spectators packed Cashel street last evening while a big force of firemen fought a blaze in the roof of Russell’s shoe store, next door to Cromb and Merritt’s sports shop, near the Bridge of Remembrance.

Huge clouds of dense black smoke pouring from the upper storey of the store threatened a major fire when the first of four engines answered the alarm about 8.10 p.m. Burning rubber-soled footwear and gumboots made the smoke particularly thick and black.

Cashel street from Colombo street to the river was blocked off from traffic, and a squad of policemen was quickly on duty.

SWIFTLY IN CONTROL Firemen fought the blaze with six leads of hose, including one through the roof from the big extension ladder, to bring the fire under control within 20 minutes, and

prevent its spreading into adjacent shops. “It was a good save,” said Mr C. E. Stevenson, the re-cently-appointed deputy-chief officer of the Christchurch Fire Brigade, who directed operations. The roof of the upper floor of Russell’s store —used as a footwear storeroom was badly burnt, but an assessment of the destruction of stock could not be made until late last evening. “ALL INSURED”

But it was all insured, said the proprietor (Mr P. F. Russell).

Stock was hastily removed from Cromb and Merritt’s shop, the floor of which was awash, but much of it, •mainly fishing tackle, was damaged by the water. Ansley Bros., tobacconists, on the other side of Russell's store, were fairly lucky in that most of the stock of cigarettes and tobacco was held in a glass-enclosed room at the rear, which appeared to have escaped any great water damage. “We may be right,” said Mr

C. E. Ansley, one of the partners, as he made a quick inspection by torchlight. WINDOW SATURATED But goods displayed in the front window were all saturated, as well as many of the books and magazines in the front part of the shop. The four-chair barber’s saloon was also well doused.

Lennies seed shop, the last of the four shops in the building, was not affected. The cause of the fire was not known, said Mr Stevenson, and Mr Russell said he had no idea what could have caused the outbreak.

“Everything was all right when we left the shop at 5.35,” he said. “We made a check then, as we always do.” Two Newman's bus drivers, coming off duty along the alley from Lichfield street beside Cromb and Merritt’s, were among the first to notice the fire. Smoke was seeping from under the eaves of the building, they said. Before they could do anything, the alarm had been given—it was announced over the loud speaker at the Midland Motors’ de-

pot—and fire engines were on their way. Two leads of hose were first played through large windows on the upper floor by firemen on the veranda. Two more leads were called for, and another was run down Plymouth lane to the rear of the premises. By 8.30 p.m. the smoke had considerably lessened, and the fire was under control. But at 8.40 p.m. the ex-tension-ladder engine was driven round the block, and the ladder erected to enable firemen to play water on to the burning roof. An hour later most of the crowd had gone, and damp-ing-down was under way. Firemen were busy With tarpaulins and brooms, helping to protect shop stock from water, and clean up floors. A man who parked his car in Lichfield street while he watched the fire returned to find that a handbag containing £l9, a wallet, diary, and a white nylon cardigan had been taken. The total value of the property is £2B.