Disastrous Fire in Wellington.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 284, 7 June 1897, Page 2

Disastrous Fire in Wellington.

P. HAYMAN & CO.'S WAREHOUSE DESTROYED. INSURANCES £27,000. LOSS OVER INSURANCES ESTIMATED AT £10,000. | Per Pros* Association] Wellington, June 6. The Municipal Fire Brigade bad quite a lively time on Saturday night At about 7.30 the bells sounded for a small fire in si tailoring establishment on Lambton Quay, and the reels bad scarcely been boused when another alarm was given, which was false, but a few minutes later tba peals were again rung, and this time it was found that a fire bad broken out in one of the largest establishments in Wellington, that of Messrs P. Hayrnan and Co., dealers in fancy goods and crockery, besides numerous other articles, embracing almost everything required in the trade. The building, which was about tbe first built on tbe Te Aro Reclamation, was four storeys, constructed of brick, and faced Victoria Street, and rnuuing lack a considerable distance towards Willis Street. Until 5 o'clock tbe employees bad been eDgaged in stock-takißg, and wben they left everything was apparently safe. Later iv the evening Mr Kellow was at work in his office on the ground floor | until about 8 o'clock and when he closed the premises there was nothing which denoted to him that auy tire was smouldering in tbe building. However, it was not long after that smoke was seeu issuing from the top Hats, and the brigade being summoned, an entrance was made from the first floor, and then the smoke was so dense that the officers of the brigade had to crawl on their bands and knees along the floor, and eventually had to retire without being able to locate I the seat of the fire, which evidently was i not on that floor. Subsequently tbe flames broke out, and from this it is believed that the origin was in crates of crockery on the third flat in the rear of the building, which is only approached by a narrow iaue, off another lave, and the windows of which were protected by heavy iron doors wero all safely secured from the inside. It w»s not lons before the flames had licked through ihe roof and, extending high in the air, lit tip tho whole town. Thou suds of people wero at all poiots it vantage, but tha work of the Brigade was in no way interfered with, The Brigade fought all they knew, but as the building was one which had no brick partitions their efforts were of little avail, and the fire, thero not being a breath of wind, burnt itself out. Nothing but the four walls were left standing, and these looked none too safe. The back wnll is bulged out, and members of the brigade are ou tentry dn:y to prevent anyone approuclung it, as it is feared that it may coiue down any minnin. The boardfr* in tho Empire Hotel, which adjoins, shifted from their roouic last night, none caring to toko the risk of the walls not coming down. Mr Lachman, uianag n r of the firm, wap early on the scene, and recurod (he vain able document* from tho strongroom, but the downstair portion of the premises, chiefly confined to offices, does not appear to havo been touched by the fire, and the strong room is safe. Nothing whatever of tbe stock was saved. The fire was the most disastrous here for years. Hayinan and Co. bad stock valued at about £30,000, and with the loss on the building estimate their loss at -£10,000 above insurances, which are as fellows : — Building : £2000 in Commercial Union, £1000 Victoria, £500 Royal, £500 Standard, £500 National. Fittings: £1000 Commercial Union. Stock: £20,000 Commercial Union, £2000 Victoria, 16000 Royal, £1000 Standard, £1000 London, Liverpool and Globe, £1500 National, £2500 Alliance, £4000 South British, £1000 Gunrdian, £1000 North British. Total: £27,500. This Day. About £5000 worth of jewellery was found in tbe safe in tbe strong room, but slightly damaged by water. Tbe brigade acted as salvage men yesterday and bore out of tbe ruins a few iron bedsteads, but these seem all that is worth recovering, notwithstanding tbe thousands of tons of water poured inte the place. The walls are burned completely bare, and the police are itationed in front of tbe building to keep the people off, as the walls are expected to come down at any moment. Water is still being played on tbe rnins. At a meeting of tbe local Underwriters' Association, committees representing the Insurance Companies interested were appointed to adjust matters in connection with the stock and building of Hayman and Co.'s, Nothing was decided as to whether an enquiry will be held.