FIRE IN PRINCES STREET.

Evening Star, Issue 3546, 4 July 1874, Page 2

FIRE IN PRINCES STREET.

A fire broke out in Princes street, a few doors from the Octagon, shortly before one o'clock this morning. The building was a two-storey one, aud used by Mr A. R. Hay as a drapery shop. The fire was first discovered by Constable James Watt, then on duty in Princes street, at ten minutes to one, and he requested a man who was passing to give the alarm at Bell Tower. The latter, however, appears to have gone direct to the engine station, giving the alarm in a loud voice on his way, as the bell did not ring for folly fire minutes after he arrived at the station. The Fire Brigade, under Captain Wain, were promptly in attendance, together with the members of the pelioe force. The fire at one time threatened to be a large one, but, owing to the exertions of the Brigade, who worked in a highly satisfactory manner, it was confined almost to the building in which it broke out. The roof, being of glass, fell in, and the flames shot up as through a chimney, the glare giving a very imposing appearance to the places around. After the fire was got under it was foqed that the goods in Mr Hay’s shop were alt consumed, and the interior of the shop itself almost wholly destroyed. Subsequently, Sub-Inspector Mallard', with Stfgt. Gpldej and Mr Hay, made a careful examination of the premises. 1 hey found the safe unopened, the boxes in their usual places, and the papers intact. The strength of the firp appeared to he in the north-west corner of the shop and adjacent to the fire-pface, which has no fender nor any protection to prevent the flyp failing out, and there is no grate. An ex* animation of the fireplace shows that a large coal fire had been burning, the cinders being at the extreme end of the bricks. Mr Hay states that the place was nearly burnt down about twelve months ago from the defective construction of the fireplace, and he then had it n constructed ; that the fire had not been lit since this reconstruction till two days ago, aud was burning all day yesterday. Mr Hay and the porter, 1 bonus Stratton, left the shop last evening at a quarter-past six o’clock, everything appearing to be safe, and went out by the sidedoor leading to the ' ’ctagon, Mr Hay says that he did qot ag&ip return till the police informed him of his premises having been bnrAtThe fireplace is railed oft from the shop, and is eight or ten feet from the adjacent'wall. Two women—a Miss Hancock and a Mrs Kricson—were sleeping above Messrs Hogg and Hutton’s, and they were awoke by Mr Melville, who keeps a shop opposite, and by some policemen, some time after the bell had rung. A portion ®f Messrs Hogg and Hutton’s shop is burnt, the flames having broken through the roof, and it was only owing to the rapid manner in which the Brigade brought the water to bear on their roof that what promised to be a destructive fire was stopped, there being a number of oases of kerosene in the store. Their goods were largely injured by fire. It is expected that an inquiry into the cause of the fire will be held on Monday. The insurances areA. .R. Hay, Victorian, LI,OQO on the stock; Australian Alliance, LI,OOO on the atocjt; outh British} LI,OOO on the building; LivOrpodi, LondoS! end Globe, LI.OOO on the building; London and Lancashire, LSjOou the building (doubtlul). Estimated loss on stock, L2 000 • damage to building, L 350. Herbert, Haynes* and Co., Norwich. Ll,700; loss. L2O. Hogg and Hutton, Standard. LI,000; Norwich, LI.OOO ; National, L 1.00 0; Koyal, L 2.000. We have been unable to ascertain Messrs. Hogg and Hutton’s loss.