FIRE AT CRAIG'S STABLES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2458, 11 May 1915, Page 3

FIRE AT CRAIG'S STABLES

» CORONIAL INQUIRY OPENED. (Bj Telerrajji—Pross Association Auckland, May 10. The Coronial inquiry into tJie circumstances of tlae tiro which destroyed Craig's 6tables and 226 horses in &l. George's Bay lload on the evening of April 22 ivas opened this morning before Mr. E. C. Cuctcfl, S.M. Chief Detectivo M'Malum represented the Police Department. Ernest Arthur Craig, secretary and director of the firm of J. J- Craig, Ltd., general merchants, said that the erection of the stables was completed a day before the iiro. He believed the building to have been the most up-to-date stables in the Dominion. 'Liters were ten entrance openings through a majority of which horses could pass. Six or eight of those outlets would be available for horses on the night of the tire. A large quantity of l'odder was stored in the western end, principally chaff and oats. That would be stacked twelve or fourteen feet high. The fodder would be too compressed to catch fire quickly. There were also 3120 bales ol compressed straw, 6tacked to about tie same height. The straw would certainly not flare up quickly. The value of the buildings as agreed upon with, the insurance companies was £7027 ss. lOd. 'iiio live stock burnt consisted of 217 horses. Two animals were saved. The firm had only been able to find 208 carcasses. The value of these was estimated at £8320, an average of £40 each. Harness and feed were valued at £4725. Wagons were damaged to the extent of about £400. For the purposes of insurance the loss was estimated at £20,792 18s. 9d. The'firm lost about £8000 on the figures agreed upon. Everything possible haa been done to eliminate the risk of hrc, and the buildings had passed the underwriters' test. The stable foreman gave evidence as to discovering tho fire. He knew of nothing which would have caused it. The superintendent of the Auckland Fire Brigade said it was possible the tire was caused through the fusing of electric wires. Electrical engineers who woro called considered it practically impossible for the electric lighting plant to have caused the fire. The inquiry wan adjourned.