FIRE IN THE CITY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 112, 5 February 1920, Page 4

FIRE IN THE CITY

CENTRAL CLUE GUTTED. The Central Club, in Hunter Street, quarters to which the club had only retenlly moved, was gutted by fire yesterday inoming. The fire brigade received the alarm soon after four o'clock, but when the firemen reached the scene it was already apparent that the fire had a strong hold. Flames were burstim; through the roof above the staircase well. Two lends of hose were brought to piny on the (lames, une from the ground level, and one from aljcve, but tin;, construction of the building was such that tlm fire was very difficult to overcome, Rooms opened off the central well on all four fides, and the central well was in effect u funnel. The brigade worked for two hours More the lire was extinguished. It appears that the lire must liava originated from a cupboard under tho main staircase. From this point it: spread to tho hall, and the bar on tho ground floor, both of which were badly damaged i then it ate through the stairs, atul up the well to the rooins above. Tho secretary's office and the private bar, near by the stairs, were practically gut-' ted. Fortunately tho library escaped 6erious damage, as did some very much treasured photographs and other pictures. Tho billiard room was not burned, but there was damage by smoke rnd water to the tables and fittings. So also in tho dining-room most of lha damage was from smoke and water. The building was insured in the Yorkshire Office for iIOOO and in tho Queensland Office for ,£2OOO. The Queensland Office also had policies for ,£550 and .£2OO on tho furnishings and stock, and thn Australian Alliance had an additional policy of .£250 on the furnishings. It is estimated that the damage will bo considerably more than JEIOOO.