Costly Fire In Auckland

Chronicle (Levin), 30 September 1949, Page 3

Costly Fire In Auckland

AUCKLAND,. Sept. 29. In less than-20 minutes 'a raging sea of flames swept through a block of buildings in Halsey Street, Freeman's Bay, tonight and destroyed's'tock owne'd By Dunlop New Zealand Ltd. and the Native DepartmeUt. The 'fire brigado was on the seene within a couple of minutes of receiving an alarm at abo'ut' 7.10 p.m. but founa' the premises completely enveloped in flames. It made a good save of the Maori Commuiiity Centfe,- large stocks of timber in W. H. Whittaker and Co., Ltd.'s yard, Harbour Board stores and a neighbouring house, all of which had been caught by the flames. Dunlop ;s warehouse and the Native Department store were burned to the ground. No definite figures of the iosses involved in the fire were available tonight. However, it was estimated that, including the replacement value of the buildings, the total loss would approach £100.000. While firemen were fighting the Halsey Street outbreak, another call was received to the premises of Mercer 's Household Linens in* Karangahape Eoad, where a small amount of stock was burned. The fire was easily extinguished. The alarm was given by a young man who was crossing Victoria Paxk. He saw a strong glow inside the building which was one of a number erected during the war and taken over from the Ameriean forces. A single storey structure, it was made of timber ana cement board. Three engines from the Central fire headquarters and one eacii (£rom Western Districts and Parnell, answered the call immediately ana others from Mt. Albert and Remuera were summoned later to give assistauce. By this time the flames were ieaping 40ft and 50ft in the air. Huge billows of black smoke were being carried high on a steady breeze from the south west. Continual explosions come fxom the interior of the building and the cement board burst and scattered over a wide area. Showers of burning embers racyd along Fanshawe Street before the breeze.