TEA ROOMS DAMAGED

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 292, 8 September 1942, Page 3

TEA ROOMS DAMAGED

Early Morning Fire

The interior of the K.K.K. tearooms, 42 Willis Street, IVellington .suffered mueh damage yesterday from a fire on the ground floor shortly after 4 a.m. A man arrived at the tearooms at that hour to begin the day’s baking, for which he switched on an electric oven in the bakehouse on the first floor. About 20 minutes later the lights flickered and went out, and, thinking there might be an earthquake, he rushed downstairs to the tearoom and found it in flames. Five machines from the Central, and ll'horndon Fire Stations were quickly on the scene and, with fireplugs' almost at the door, it took only 10 minutes to extinguish the blaze, but in that time, and before the alarm was given, the flames had spread around the wooden walls of the tearoom on the ground floor and practically gutted it. Chairs and. tables, a cash' register, showcases and shelves and.a refrigerator wore damaged. The seat, of the lira appeared to be the electrical switchboard on the ground floor, just inside the door. The prompt work of the brigade prevented the- flumes, (spreading to the- bakehouse upstairs. The tearooms and bakehouse are owned by Townsend and Paul. Ltd., and occupied by Mr. A. A. IVilson.