MYSTERIOUS FIRES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1421, 23 April 1912, Page 4

MYSTERIOUS FIRES.

[ SERIES OP OUTBREAKS AT MILTON. (Bj Teleeraph—Proßi! Association.)' Dunsdln, April 22. Between i and B o'clock on Sunday morning, firo broke out in Messrs. Jas. Gray and Son's temporary premises, Milton, and within an hour tho building wag entirely demolished. Fivo weeks ago Inst Friday night tho original promises of the same firm wcro totally destroyed by firo under mysterious circumstances. Tho brigade- turned out promptly, but tho water supply was totally insufficient. It was found that the valves of tho pump had l>een rendered defectivo by some gravel which had got in at tho fire on tho previous night. By half-past five all that could bo seen was the soaking masses of debris <iml sheets of corrugated iron. Tho heat and tho dense snioko had.made salvage impossible, and nothing was saved. Tho premises were of a temporary character, doing duty until a permanent building was erected. They had been erected of corrugated iron on a section adjoining tbo site of the first fire. Inside tho lining of the building was of tarred material, and naturally highly inflammable .

Mr. Jas. Gray is unable to give a definite estimate of his loss, but lie stales that the building was heavily stocked. Tho goods wcro insured for ,£2OOO in tho Guardian Office, and the building for .£250 in tho London and Liverpool Office. Tho loss very likely amounts to about ,£3OOO.

A prominent firo brigade official, when spoken to, gave it lis his opinion that incendiarism was being practised in (liedistrict. Three fires had occurred in fivo weeks, and there was not tho sliphtest chic as to their origin. Tho official scouted the idea that n broken skylight might bo accepted as evidence of incendiarism, but. many who witnessed the firo regard it as rather singular that that particular skylight should bo broken while others lemained intact. Detoctivo Ward has gono to Milton to investigate tho matter.

At 2.30 this afternoon tho five brigade was called out to suppress an outbreak in Messrs. Gray's stables, adjoining the. section on which yesterday's firo occurred. The outbreak did not give much trouble, being subdued in a few minutes. Like, the. other fires, its origin is a mystery. The natural inference is that a ' spark from tho other firo found its way into the. stable, but tho place, whoro tho firo originated does not lend support to tho theory.