BIG CITY FIRE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1407, 6 April 1912, Page 6

BIG CITY FIRE.

FAOTORY GUTTED, EXTENSIVE DAMAGE DONE-. A dense volume of lilaek wneke and n tremendous tengue of ilnme sliooling hiflh into iho nir foniipd n rntliei , ni\i(jiip earlymorning spectacle on 'J'lmrslay-. Tlie outbreak was in Hie Victoria Street prauisoe occnnkil by tli« Wetahach J.iijhl Conipnny of Aiiittrnlniia as n tnnnufaetory, and by His tfiiiuu Strain Ship Comjiany ns a stores ilopot. Tho owner of tho building is Jtr, William JSvnns, who resides in Timaru. Tho lire was discovered at half-past flvo by a nohen con.ilvible, ami in a few minu(M (ho Central l-'iro Urigado was on tho scone with two .motors. Superintendent O'Urion and hie mon hadareat difficulty in L-ctting closo to tho building on account of tho donsenoss of tho smoke. Tho boat, too, was not inconsidorablo. The ilremen had to work a way. through a wall of thick and unpleasant smoke. Tho blazo was on the first floor, and at tho back of tho building. Tho fire, it is considered, had been smouldering all night, and had such a thorough hold whon the brigade reached tho scene that- there was positively no hope of saving the interior.

When tho flames had been got under, and the smoko had cleared off enough, to permit of an examination, it was found that the building hnd been gutted as completely as was possible. Tho interior was a sorry ruin.

Mr. S. Campbell, New Zealand manager of the Welsbach Company, says that he had no idea whatever of the origin of the fire. There was a small stock of ether and methylated spirits in the building, but the place in which they were stored was untouched. Special caro had always been taken in tho Business to prevent an outbreak rf fire, and this was the first firo the company had had since it started in Australasia, fourteen years ago. The electric light had gone out on Tuesday night, and whether, or not, a wire had fused was unknown. At n quarter to sii on Wednesday everything had seemed safe. Mr. Campbell added tliat about 14 girls would be thrown out of employment. Thia was tho company's only manufactory in New Zealand, but fresh supplies would bo obtained from Sydney next week. The ground floor of tho building was occupied by the Union Company, and the other two doors by the Welsbach. Company. The latter company's boxos and delicate fabric were completely ruined. In one division there were about 250,000 mantle boxes, all of which are now useless. On the Tmion Company's floor such articles as cigars, cigarettes, sugar, flour, etc., were considerably damaged. The losses aro, doubtless, heavy, but no estimates have yot been made. The building was insured in tho Queensland officf.- for iSGOO. The Welsbach Company's goods were covered in the State office bv a policy for £"MO, and in the Royal Exchange office by a policy for ■£2000. The Union Company stores were insured for .-fMOOO in various offices.