Fire at Christchurch.

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 45, 25 September 1886, Page 2

Fire at Christchurch.

[P • B UNITBD PBRBS ASSOCIATION.] Chbistchvbch, September 24. A fire in Colombo street last night burned down three, shops, occupied by Fletcher, tailor ; Silvester, basket maker; and Longuet, hairdresser, and seriously damaged the roof of Messrs Garrick and Cowliihaw's (solicitors) office. It began in Silvester's kitchen about 10.15 p.m. apparently caused by coals falling from the fire burning in the grate. Only on* steam fire engine was' available, the others being laid up for repair*. Shortly before midnight the fir* seemed under control, button minute* : past 12 it broke out in Garrick and Cowlishaw's roof, and was not entirely subdued until 2.30 a.m. All valuable documents in th* solicitors' •ffice were preserved.- Qf Fletcher'* stock, worth about £5000, but £700 worth was saved. Silvester** Ai .[ stock and furniture were mQstiy;d*Btroyed. Longuet's stock and fnraitur* were uninsured, and .a large portion wassaved. AU the buildings belonged to the estate of the late Mr I. Luok. The telegraph line passed olose to the burning buildings. The northern telegraph wire and several of the [toi*- '. phone wires wor* interrupted, bnt ar* now restored. Insurances — Garrick and Cowlishaw's building, "£-1000, . in the Norwich Union; stock and • furniture, £1000, in New Zealand; ; Fletcher's building, £600, in New . Zealand; stock, £2000 in South Brit- i ish, £1000 of which was re-insured ; Silvester's building, £100 in Norwich Union; stock and furniture, £200 in '■ the Equitable, and £25 in Colonial ; ; Longuet's building, £300 in the Now Zealand. The stock of tweeds in ■ Fletcher's, belonging to Mr W. 0.. ' __e_dp, were destroyed.. . They wet* : nsured for £200 in the Union.