FIRE AT D.I.C.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1916, 26 November 1913, Page 7

FIRE AT D.I.C.

IpOSTIjY OUTBREAK. MUCHrDAMAGE DONE-BY WATER, 'A rather costly firo occurred last ■evening at tho jj.l.C. l'ho lino couiliicnced on tlio top tor, and there everything was apparently safe wlieu tho hands left at (j o'clock. Yet at 6.20 tho gatoko was- so deiiso that Doddrcll (shop Walker) and A. teuidi (locker-isp), who discovered ■ tho firo, could riot face it. The tiro started iii a coritcr where feathers and tow wero heaped on tho floor. Near by wero roils of carpet, which had recently come to hand for tho now Opera House. Somo of these were damaged by tho firo, and their appearance suggests that tlio heat for a whiio was severe. Beyond this tho lire did little harm, but considerable damugo was done by water. Tho ceilings of tho building are furnished with sprinklers, and when tho heat rose above n certain temper,ituw somo of tho •stoppers melted aiid let, loose the water.. At tho same time, th© sprinkler alarm called up the Central Mre Brigade, which was at the moment iwoiviug a telephone niessago ftom Messrs. Doddrell and Framli. The sprinkler put tho fire out sa effectively that the brigade did not' even use its chemical machine, but ilia water was not turned off at unco, a««i quickly found its way through to all tho lower tloors. In the mantles department havoa was wrought in the glass eases, wlicra' evening dresses, costumes, and spring'' goods were, hung;. the boxes o" blouses were soaked ; and tlie articles otherwise 1 on display also suffered. The dny.-nponr forcod its Way mto tho kitchen and into tlio tea-room, and tlio latter will have to be renovated. Only a couple of mouths a.go ills colour-tono of the room was changed from blue, to brown and generally retouched, j On tlio ground floor somo damage was' dona to the ironmongery. The man- ! agor (Mr. Sim) was unable last .viighti to estimate tho extent of flic damage,Imt he stated, that it is considerable.: Tho total value of tlio slock in tlio building is £00,000. mid the building! itself is valued at £'30,000. The iusur-! allocs wero not available last night, but every offico doing business ill tho City holds some of the cover. The cause of tlio firo is not known. Rood work liSSj already been done in the way of clear- • ihg up, and business will go oil as usual* to-day, \ '