FIRES.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2385, 15 February 1915, Page 7

FIRES.

SOAP WORKS DESTROYED

BEAH tOSSES | (By- ineoiatloaJ Napier, February 14. Shortly after mid-day to-day tho Hawke's Bay Soap and Tannery Company's works at Awatoto, covering two acres, three miles from Napier, wero totally destroyed by fire. It is stated that the fire started in the bone shed at tho south end of the works. Tho wind, blowing from that direction, swept the flames through all tho buildings, and within ten minutes the whole place was ablaze, sending up volumes of dense black smoke. Tho Napier Fire Brigade went cut. and did good work, although the'fire had too great a bold, and little was saved. A large quantity of hides, soap, and materials were destroyed. The soap works, Stock, and buildings connected therewith were insured in the Phoenix, Norwich, and Commercial Union Offices for £1223 oach, but the insurance on the tannery departififcnt is not available. The whole works are valued at about £8000 to £10,000,

BIG HOTEL SEVERELY DAMAGED

Oamaru, February 14,

A fire was discovered at 3 a.m. in the Star and Garter Hotel, a building-of 72 rooms, of which Mrs. Harvey'is the lessee. The fire apparently started in an unoccupied bedroom upstairs, and the flames had a big hold when the alarm was given. A furious north-easter was blowing, and when the brigade arrived the upper story in the oentre of the. building was an inferno. Fortunately , when the fire was at its height the wind lulled'preparatory to chopping round to the north-west, and the brigade gained the mastery, otherwise therwhole block in the ceutre of one of the business portions of the town could not have been saved. In the hotel The whole of the upper story and a third floor of bedrooms was clean swept by the fire. Fortunately there were few visitors at the time, and the inmates escaped, several in their night attire only. There were several narrow escapes. Everything in the lower story was seriously damaged by water. The North Otago Club had rooms in the building, and G. M. Procter, chemist, and Robson, fruiterer, were tenants of part of the building. All the property of these was irrevocably destroyed try water, and the occupants are heavy losers. The Star and Garter block is owned by Peyman'B Estate (England). The insurances are:—Building, not yet available. Harvey's furniture, £1750, Standard Co.; Procter's, £900 stock, and £200 fittings, South British and £750 National; Rob-son'-s stock and the North Otago Club furniture were insured for small amounts. OUTBREAK AT A BREWERY. Clsborne, February 14. ' 'At an early hour this morning a fire broke out in D. J; Barry's brewery, the packing shed being, completely destroyed, while the pasteurising room and bottling department sustained damage. The loss in bottles, corks, capsules, labels, and machinery is heavy. One hundred and eighty cases of beer for export were, destroyed, and a similar' quantity unpacked was also lost. The insurances on this section of the brewery are £700 on the building, and £2100 on the stocks.and machinery in various offices. It is impossible to estimate the damage as yet. • But for the brigade's good work the whole of the brewery would have gone. FLODRMTLL TOTALLY DESTROYED. Dunedin, February 13. Harraway and Sons' flourmill at Green Island was totally destroyed by fire early this morning. The mill and it 3 contents are a total loss. An adjoining mill and store were saved. The contents were damaged. The cause of the fire is unknown. The mill was closed at 5 o'clock yesterday. Insurance, £10,645 in the Commercial Union Office, largely reinsured in local offices.