THE RECENT FIRE IN NEW YORK.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1389, 15 March 1912, Page 6

THE RECENT FIRE IN NEW YORK.

(By Telozranh.—Sdoclol GarruaonAeai.! Auckland, March U. A resident of Auckland, who has a brother living in New York, received a letter by the recent mail, giving some details of the conflagration which occurred in that city on January 9. Tho fire started in tho huge building of the Equitable Life Assurance Society. Almost the whole of the fire-fighting battalions of the oitv, including Brooklyn, assembled to assist in extinguishing the fire, tho building being eight stories in height, but it was not till tho third day that the last of the brigades could leave the locality. Tho huge buildiing was always recognised as a spot where, if a fire did occur, it would bo difficult to fight it. Modern skyscrapers nro much more akin to being fireproof than was the great building iu which the tire raged all those hours before tho firemen got it under hand. Nino lives were lost, eight being night-watchmen who were looked in their respective apartments, and whom it was impossible to rescue. Desperate efforts were mado to effect the rescue, but all perished except one, who was almost miraculously recovered through tho frantic and persistent efforts of the bravo firemen. Deputy-Fire Chief Walsh was killed by a floor falling on him when trying to rescuo a human creature, who it seemed tho lire had driven insane. Tho chief's ' body was not recovered till some days after the fire, and New York gnvo tho remains ono of the most imposing funerals on record. Tho total loss runs into several millions sterling. It was nearly three weeks before tho removal of the debris piled up in an enormous heap allowed the vaults to be inspected, when the conteuts were found lo be practically uninjured.