FIRES.

Evening Star, Issue 3982, 29 November 1875, Page 2

FIRES.

A fire broke out in the Albion Soap Works, Great King street, owned and worked by Mr Moses Bardsley, at 10.45 p.m. on Saturday. When the fire was first disc were.t it was confined to the mi" die of the hearth at the east end of the building, where a quantify of fat and resin was stocked. A plentiful supply of water prevented the tiie from spreading to the main building. Mr Bardsley left the works at three o’clock ou Saturday afternoon, everything then appearing s fe. I he Royal Coin,'any held insurance policies on the building for L 70 0; on the stock lor LBOO, and on 'he plant for I>l.ooo ; and the bouth British LIOO on the building, 1.800 on the stock, and LIOO on the plant—totalinsunmces L 3 500. ThebuiJding, stock, and plant were valued at L 5,000. The damage is about L 1,070. No cause can be assigned for the fire. Mr Burdsley states that he does not tnmk >t could have resulted from spontaneous combustion, as was stated by one of our contemporaries, but that it must have been caused by an incendiary. Had the wind not been blowing towards the Bay, the houses in King street would have stood in imminent danger. /At five minutes past two o’clock this morning a fire w-as discovered in a small shop situate at the corner of George and Albany streets, and occupied by Mr Henry M, Morrison. The

North Dunedin Fire Brigade were in prompt attendance, and presented the fire extending beyond the shop. Mr Morrison says he was last in the shop at 10 .m. on Sunday, and that he had no light with him. He and his wife occupied ft room in an adjoining house, and retired to bed at about 10 30 p.m, Mr William Wilson, Morrison’s father-in-law, and others, were in bed in two rooms behind the shop when the alarm was given The stock and furniture were insured for T. 200 in the New Zealand office; an 1 for a like, sum in the Souh British. The stock and furniture were valued at L 750. The building belonging to Mr Wilson was insured in the South British for L2OO Or Van Heraert’s residence aojoining had a narrow escape from being burned down. In this, as in the other cas-, both Fire Brigades and the police were quickh- on the spot.