FIRES OF THE YEAS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1945, 31 December 1913, Page 3

FIRES OF THE YEAS.

:;':Y light losses. Wellington has been fortunate in regard to loss by firo during tho past ■twelve months. Tim number of alarms received have been well up to-the average, but thanks to the good work oi tlio brigade, tho loss sustained by outbreaks l;as not lice i severe. The most serious iires of tho year wore the big flare which seriously damaged b.v big wooden building on Lanibton Quay occupied by Messrs. Mood. Bros., drapers, and the restaurant and boaidinghoußO adjoining, which was totallv destroyed. In fighting this lire tho brigade was materially helped by beint; able id draw upon the new main which runs along Wellington Terrace, and empties into tho new service reservoir on Isell Hcnd (just below Brooklyn). Othor fires of note were those which' destroyed tho Melrose Boardinghousc, iu Inaostw Street ; the Skatiii" Kink, at KiHurnie South, and the fire which occurred in the. New Zealand Express Company s «stoio in Ld< ward Street, . . The number of alarms during tho twelve mouths was 296. OS that total 58 v, - ero lelso alarms ('2O malicious and 38 from various causes), and 71 arose from unclean chimneys, gorso, grass, and rubbish. Durine the year there was at ono period finite an epidemic cl chimney fires. Between August ].0 arrl Seiitcmber 2 there were no fewer than 19 alarms from that cause alone. Two deaths were caused tliroumi an outbreak of fire. That was tho firo m I,owe Street, m vhicu Mr and Mrs. 1-hli were suffocated. On that ocea- ! jiion only one room in iho Jiouso was really seriously burnt. . i Durimr the coming year the brigade plant will ho made iiwro efficient than it present by the addition of a 00-horsc-nowor 'llioriievcroft engine. T"o increased nower will not necessarily give tins engine. more speed than the ■fO : Jio l . orowr en«ine now sn use, it mil leave a margin of reserve power in ncfo•ttaiuiis the many steep praties that exist within the boundaries of the city Witnout loss of sliced —and speed is really everything whoro fires arc conccnicd.