FIRE IN STOUT STREET.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 780, 1 April 1910, Page 7

FIRE IN STOUT STREET.

BIG, BRICK BUILDING DAMAGED. .. An alarm of fire was sounded shortly after 3 a.m. yesterdayi the scene of tho conflagration being a large brick building in Stout Street owned and occupied by Messrs. J. E. Butler, • Ltd., wholesale saddlers. Tho fire brigade were quickly on tho scene, aud thoflanies, which had secured a firm hold in the top story, were through the roof. A strong southerly galo' was blowing' at tho time, but the firemen soon had fivo powerful jets of water playing on to the roaring flames. ' Two of the leads wcro taken up to the roof by means of ladders. The work of. subduing the fire.took-somo considerable timo, but all the firemen strenuously and, managed to concentrate .the outbreak practically in the upper story, a piece of work which reflects great credit, on Superintendent O'Brien and his men. It was fortunate in a sense that the flames went through the .skylight in the roof as the forced draught resulting therefrom was the means of saving the floors below. It was apparent, however, that the fire had been burning for some time, as shortly, after the brigade got, to work the. floor of the upper story collapsed and everything it contained was destroyed, the woodwork, being practically demolished. The floor on which the fire started was used- as a workroom, and it contained a huge' quantity of canvas and fibre used for manufacturing saddlery. One of the staff was working there until about half past fivo the previous evening, and on leaving everything appeared to be safe;' and the origin of the fire is' enwrapped in. mystery. The building .is a substantial one of brick, erected over seven years ago at a cost of about £11,000. It is only damaged slightly, but the contents in the lower flats have suffered very considerably through the extremely large volume of water which was poured into tho flames. ; The officos of Messrs. Wilford and Levi, solicitors, ,wero deluged, and the result to them will mean considerable inconvenience. All the office appliances, law books, deeds, and papers concerning cases in the courts—pending and otherwise—were soaked through. Fortunately for this firm of lawyers all original documents of any importance were snugly stowed away in the strong-room, which escaped any injury. The stock iof tea, etc., belonging to Messrs. Ellis and Manton in the cellar below also i suffered by the water. This firm anticipates a serious loss. So far it will be difficult to gauge the loss sustained'by those concerned. In the meantime Messrs. Wilford and Levi have secured temporary accommodation in adjacent premises. The insurances are as under: Butler Bros—Building, ,£5000,! Liverpool, London and Globe office; contents, Liverpool, London and- Globe, £4650; North British, £2000; National, £1000; Standard, £2500. Wilford and Levi-Contents, £150, Phoenix office; Ellis and Manton— £3000, London and Lancashire.