FIRE ON LAMBTON QUAY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2957, 21 December 1916, Page 6

FIRE ON LAMBTON QUAY

SERIOUS DAMAGE

A rather serious outbreak of lire occurred iu the two-storied brick premises of Lindsay's, Ltd., boot importers and manufacturers, at an early hour yesterday morning. The Fire Brigade received the alarm at 1.22 a.m., and were speedily on the spot, to find tho front upstairs rooms well alight, the flames being fanned by a gentle southerly breeze. In a few minutes the brigade had tho firo under control, and quickly subdued it almost entirely. The qualification is necessary, for m having a final look round it was discovered that smoke was issuing from the next building, divided by a brick wall, and a search revealed iiro amongst a stock of picture mouldings stored awjiy iu tho ceiling of Mr. A. F. Paterson's (M'Gregor "Wright's) picture-frame workshop above the well-known picture shop. As the framing "was stacked close to the roof, the spot was a little difficult to get at, particularly as 1 the brigade was hampered by the thick green sinoko caused by the burning putty and paint on the framing. The wholo stock had to bo flooded! with water to prevent a worse happening, with the result that Paterson s stock iu the shop suffered very seriously. lhe seat of tho fire was Mr. Lindo j Levin's dentist's chambers, a suite of six rooms occupying the whole of the front portion of the upstairs in Lindsay's Building. Tho fire is supposed to havo broken out in the operating room on the corner in front (overlooking Woodward Street and Lambton Quay). In this room is a small switchboard for controlling the power for tho lighting, the fans, radiators, and electric steriliser and kettle, and it is believed that tho fire was caused by a fused wire, due to some unknown cause. Mr. Levin (who is carrying on the business in the absence of Mr. John Fairchild, now with the forces in Egypt) informed a Dominion reporter that on Tuesday night be attended a meeting of the 'Wellington bra'nch of tho N.Z. Dental Association, of which be is secretary, and afterwards dropped into his rooms to leave bis books and' write a letter. He left a few minutes after 10 p.m., when there was no indication of anything in the nature. of a fire. Ho wrote tho letter in the room in which tho outbreak took place. A glance showed that the ravages of tho flames were fiercest in the vicinity of tho electrical gear. Two of the upstairs rooms wore pretty well gutted, and the rest were badly burned. Or the contents a total loss was recorded. Only in one place did the floor break, but no fire got through to the bootstore below. Tho stock,_ however, received a thorough drenching, the floors and shelves were flooded, and a serious loss must result. The premises are built on a Maori reserve owned by the Maoris of Picton, of whom Mr. Daniel Love is the present head. They wore up till three years ago hold on a long lease by Mr. Alfred Lindsay, sen., who then disposed of his interests to Lindsay's, Ltd., tho present lessees. The Insurances. The building was insured in the Norwich Union Office for £4000, and the stock of Lindsay's, Ltd., carried tho following insurances:—Sun, £1000; South British, £1000; Norwich Union, £6400; Victoria, £500. Mr. Lindo Levin's plant, instruments, etc., were insured in the South British for £200; and Mr. Fairchild's furniture and plant for £750 in the Liverpool, London, and 1 Globe Office. Mr. Paterson had no insurance on his stock, and is a heavy loser. His stock was heavier than usual owing to Christmas- orders, and extra hands had been employed lately to prepare for the Christmas trade.