TWENTY THOUSAND IN STREETS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 157, 29 March 1939, Page 10

TWENTY THOUSAND IN STREETS

Big Crowds Watch City Blaze SPECTACULAR SCENE FROM SUBURBS Twenty thousand people, it is estimated, watched last night's fire from the neighbouring streets.; thousands more saw it from across the harbour, and from vantage points in the suburbs. From the time when the first siren sounded streams of cars poured into the city and for a while caused congestion in Iho main streets. Traffic officers, however, soon had the crowds under control. ' The watchers in the street were, for the most part, quiet and orderly and as far as possible helpful to those in authority. Though the strong wind drowned Ihe sound of the alarm, the lurid glare of the fire soon attracted attention throughout the city. It lit up the whole sky anil even in suburbs where the actual flames were hidden by the hills, it was evident that there was a great blaze in the city. Probably flic most spectacular view of all was from across the harbour. The flames towered above the highest, buildings and the great column of incandescent sparks and red-hot cinders could be seen trailing across the city for some hundreds of yards. When the explosions took place the flames appeared doubled in size and their dancing light was brilliantly reflected on the dark waves of the harbour. Vantage Points Crowded. Windows and balconies, streets and billside vantage points of Mt. Victoria and Brooklyn were crowded with watchers. A steady stream of traffic turned toward the city. Customhouse Quav became blocked witli motors; taxis and private cars became congested along the main routes leading to the fire and between the slowly-moving vehicles hurried eager pedestrians. Among them were folk in night attire, despite the early hour, and young children and babies in arms still blinking the sleep from their eyes.. Picture and theatregoers abandoned their entertainments and joined the throng flowing toward Victoria Street. The traffic was quickly under control. The entire force of t lie municipal traffic department, led by the chief traffic officer, Mr. L. F. Drake, took in hand the disentangling of th? motor vehicles, cleared all cars from the nearer streets and undertook point duty at salient points, in spite of in several instances :i steady bombardment of red-hot cinders. The pedestrians, however, blocked Harris Street and Willeston Street, an'd tlie north end of Victoria Street, and congregated at. Mercer and Willis Streets. Police and about a dozen special fire police under Captain F. .1. Ballinger kept them back from points where tlie firemen were busy. Other voluntary helpers in coni rolling the crowds were members of the 15th Battery Corps of Signallers, B Company <>)' Wellington Regimen'.;. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, East ( oast Mounted Rilles. Sea Scouts, and Woy Scouts. The St. John and Wellington Free Ambulances and Red Cross did useful work, helping injured firemen and attending to those burnt by falling cinders.