DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 753, 28 February 1910, Page 4

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

SHOPS BURNED IN; CHRISTCHDRCH; : lßT;Tßlekrabh.—Press, Association.!;:;,.. ..-V. '..:■; Christchurch, February 27v,v' : ! :By a; fire which: broke "out shortly-after,/ .':'-. midnight on' Saturday ;;a;'block';of ■/■ two-'-' V:; story wooden/buildings .at ..the:corner, of/.'; . Colombo 'and. Tuani ■ Streets; was: seriously,'..'.'. damaged,'as were also : tbe contents of.thV;:., biisiness;places affected;'-.''.:;"::::'';; ;"',';■ :'■-:' -'• At.;■ 0.2: a.m .; the ■■'brigade/'feceived ; : as}''"' * alarm '■ by. telephone/' the ; message; beinj". ; i■'.; given by,-Mr..Balkind's. manager,;jwh«;,..:,. sleeps on the premises. The fire broke, on! ~':,'•;. in', a portion;of- the block" occupied:;, by• : ."' Mr.. W.'Brown, pork butcher; Thebnild- .-;•' ';' ings are ;old,;and ,as:the;roof was. open -'.■: from' one':.end;to : the {other, the' fire.was,soon : communicated ;toV adjoining 'shops.; . These were becupied. as -follow;— Mr:.:>..;'.. .';■ •W, Balkind, draper;Mr.'A..P.;Beaumont, ■';•; confectioner;'. Mr.' A : .R, : Falconer,' l ;boot*■".'' sellerj-Messrs;;•.Spratt'-;'and•; Best,:'land;;-:;, and Mr. .B.Hindle ' '. 'TVheh;tho;brigade arrived/Mr. .Brown'l!-. ~ E remises we're well alight,, and the 'flames ! ■'.•"■'■ ad burst.through-tho. ! roof...;:yery;'dense.'. smoke;filled.- Colombo;.:StMet;i;;;.ln. ;'addi'.'/ tioh.to the roof..'beihg'"ppen,.from end .tq. end, the'shop was.only separated: by>: a lath and plaster partition;:.thus-giving' th«:..-::.■ fire additional "facilities ;for.;.,Bpreadrng.;:.. ; The water-supply was good, and with 2200, .feet of hose out-the brigade soon had the outbreak in hand.'Six: streams: of water played "on: the.burniDg/buildingi'fpur 'in"'! irbntand two!ih thaireaT v ->;'■:.:■".;'":,■".'.;'■

'?' Thedamage' done 'is ,',as Brown's shop and building, dam- . aged: aad the contents'totally descrpyedj', 1 ' Messrs. -. BaDrind's • and Beaumont's' shops, ,< building and'contents'severely, damaged: :" Mr. : l'alconer's,.shopi r.building. severely. •: : damaged-,' and'-, contents severely:., damaged';; -';- by fire and \ water; Messrs., Spratt 'and ■''.-,. Bestfs: office," slightly.damaged by water:' Mr. 8.-Hindle's .shop,-.part 1 .of roof'. :;, severely -damaged and portion of contents';'..' 'and.: water..;....': '■ There is no indication how.;th«.: fir* _. started.- Mr./Browu': states'thai: He left his- premises. "a.:. 11.30 . p.mi _on Saturday,. when they were secure and"ingood order,..,1 iThe block is owned by,.Mrs. :W..Pratt,-.'.,• and is' understood to'be- insured ia ;.tb*: ,Sun office, but the amount was not ascer-,. .;" 'tainable. Mr; Brown is'insured'for, £IM ";-.;:. in thoEoyal office; ; Mr; BalMnd for JE2SO ~ ':-. in the Guardian; Mr. Beaumontfor,.£2so,' in the Eoyal Exchange; Mr;; Falconer.for.'',-'.'•: iSO in the National;ji-Mr^-iHindle..for ;., .£4OO ;in-the'National.'.' Messrs. 1 Spratt and ~, Best's insurance was-not ascertainable.-■;.

HOTEL DESTEOYED. Dannevirke, February 28. Tho Herbortville Hotel and an adjoining billiard room were destroyed by fir* yesterday. No\t to nothing was saved. The origin of tho fire is a mysterj.

:■:■ ; HOTJSE;BHENBb V AT:|DTINEDIN.^i; i ■'/■-'■:■ ]■::"/' ?>;VDunedin,';Febjruary,27;i : : " A five-roomed wooden 1 -, house,' //'situated at>Eoslyn, was destroyed by. fire on.Saturday: night. ; -. The furniture -was insured/in the Victoria office for;.£2oo, and the house in.the State'office 5 f0r".£200. ;■; /'/■ /'::