Large Fire in Auckland.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 206, 21 October 1873, Page 7

Large Fire in Auckland.

Another very destructive fire has occurred in -Auckland. From telegrams to Dunedin papers, we take-the following particulars. : A gre?,t five broke out in Quoen-strcqt last night (Tuesday). £40,000 worth of property was destroyed. The fire commenced at the back of a store belonging to Mr J. S. Macfarlane, and extended to the adjoining premises. It spread, from these stqres to Eaton s brick store ; thence to Henderson and Macfarlane’s front store. Messrs Soppat, Bucholz, J. S. Macfarlarie, Clark Bros., Garnett, Leamington, Stone Bros., S. J. ■Edmonds, arid G. W. Binney, were destroyed. A large amount of goods were got out, but much damaged. r !- - The insurance losses are South British, £11,855; ISew Zealand, £19,000; Norwich Union, £2,000; Victoria, large, but not yet known. Soppat was uninsured. All the stores were brick. A strong gale was blowing during the fire. ‘ When 1 it was first discovered, the streets were, deserted, and no assistance near to extinguish it. The store where it originated was full of flax gum and damaged cotton and wool discharged from the Lady Bowen, which put into port leaky. It is supposed this ignited spontaneously. It burnt, with great fierceness, the gale driving the 'flames' with irresistible force on the front The Brigade was soon present, but all efforts were useless to extinguish the vast body of flame. The crowd rushed the front store, and removed a large quantity of merchandise. The gale drove the flames through upstairs windows in Macfarlane’s front store, nearly suffocating some volunteers, one of whom was dragged out unconscious. A number of people were engaged removing goods from the front store when it suddenly fell and burst into flames. The men rushed downstairs, and several narrowly escaped. It is reported three are missing, but whether they were burnt or not cannot be ascertained. Voudersheyde, of the firm of Henderson and Macbirlane, was carried out insensible, suffocated with smoke. He soon recovered. Shortly before that the two front walls of J. S. Macfarlane’s and Henderson and Macfarlane’s store fell into Queen-street with a terrific crash. The agent for the National Insurance Company yesterday refused a risk of £2OOO in C. J. Stone s store, which was completely destroyed . The matter was to have been settled this morning.