FIRE IN SYDNEY.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 154, 11 July 1901, Page 2

FIRE IN SYDNEY.

ANTHONY HORDERN’S. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright Sydney, July 10. A great fire is raging in Anthony Hordern's immense emporium in Georgestreet. The fire has a good hold of the main buildings. A still wind is blowing, and threatens to sweep tho whole block through to Pitt-street. The large city gasometer is close to the vicinity. Tram traffic in George-street is blocked. An immense crowd is gathering. 10.17 a.m. The fire, assisted by the wind and liftshafts, and immense quantities of inflammable material, spread with tremendous rapidity. ' The main building is already practically gutted, though it is still burning fiercely. The fire has spread across Parker-street, in the rear of the block, to tho large furnishing depot, which is now ono mass of flames. The big gasometer adjoins this building. The whole of the fire forces of the city are engaged. The work is dangerous, owing to tho towering walls threatening to collapse. Tho occupants of shops stretching from tho doomed building to Hay street are getting out their goods for fear of the fire spreading from the rear. The fire was discovered shortly after S o’clock, luckily before many of tho employees had reported. One man was killed by jumping from the roof. Burning debris was carried a great distance, and fired houses, but the fires were quickly subdued. Hordern's Pitt street side, in tho direction the wind is blowing, is banked by the park, which will prevent further spread in that direction. 11.28 a.lll. Tho tiro is now in hand The brigades have confined their efforts to prevent it spreading beyond Hordern’s, and are succeeding. Excepting the ironmongery department, a detached building, ilie whole of the premises have been gutted, only the walls standing. Tho damago amounts to one hundred thousand pounds. Tho man killed was an employee named Clegg.

By Telegraph—Tress Association—Copyright Sydney, July 10. At about twenty minutes past eight, just as tho employees wore beginning to arrive to commence their daily duties, a fire was discovered in the basement of the central building of the huge block, covering several acres. The employee who discoved the fire found it in tho picture frame division of the toy department. He made an effort to extinguish it with buckets of water kept for the purpose, but the gimcrnck nature of the toy department fed the Haines. With avidity thoy quickly ascended the ground floor, which is devoted to drapery. The whole of tho central buildings, having material of a most inflammable nature, was in a few moments a pile of seething flames, which roared through the windows like the blast of a furnace. They leapt across Parker street, a distance of about eighty feet, entered the second storey of the grand furniture warehouse, a hundred feet high, and facing the gasometer. From floor to Hoor tho flames rushed with incredible fury, breaking through the windows of each floor, and thus_admitting a strong southerly wind to hasten the work of destruction. A great concourse of spectators gathered. A thrill of horror shot through them as tho lonely figure of a man appeared on the top parapet, and clung to the ornamental brick work on top of the building, shifting his position occasionally as a gust of wind fanned tho tongue of flame from tho windows beneath his direction. Then came the life-saving apparatus. There was a marvellous hush over all as the spidery ladders unreeled in the direction of the parapet. Tho hush was broken by au audible moan as the ladders failed to roach within thirty feet of the position of the man. In the meantime tho rocket brigade tried to fire a lino over the building, hut for some reason at present unexplained the apparatus failed. Tlie flames now again made a ferocious lick at the victim, who saw that his only hope of deliverance was gone ! Then, with a gesture of despair, lie jumped clear, a hundred feet into the roadway, and never stirred again. When the flames took hold of the building Constable Conroy and two firemen ascended to tho top storey to see if they could find Clegg, his fellow employees having given warning of the man’s position. Tho top floor was searched without avail. The man had evidently gone through a trap door on to the roof. Other hands saved themselves by sliding from tho upper floors down the lift ropes. Some wore found at the bottom of the lift well, overcome by smoke. Had tho lire occurred an hour or so later, when tho huge establishment'would havo boon in full swing with a throng of customers, the loss of life must have been great. Tho flames went through the lower floors like a flash, cutting off the means of escape.

While the tragedy was being enacted in the eastern buildings the flames crept across the narrow right-of-way, and worked against the wind to tho large buildings facing George street. The throe-storey building, containing mercery and saddlery, was soon enveloped, and tho flames swept out the offices, and crept rapidly from floor to floor of tho sevenstorey building adjoining. Several smaller shops belonging to other owners were annihilated by the fire in a few minutes.

Backward in the centre division went tho flames till they came against a wall, a huge pile of deviated ironmongery. The fire brigades worked with desperation to save the structure.

The fire got in tho upper storey, but the brigades managed to subdue it and save the building from the ravages of the flames, although the water will have caused great damage. \V hen it was scion that a conflagration of a great character was imminent steps were taken immediately to discharge the gas from tho three gasometers, which was successfully accomplished. The buildings used by the caretaker, and the laboratory, as well as the storeroom used by the gas company, were destroyed. For a great distance around the street looked as if subjected to a volcanic eruption. It was covered to a depth of inches with cinders.

By eieven o’clock the danger of a further spread was over. There are rumors current that other lives have been lost, hut the confusion is too great at present to learn whether there is any truth in the assertions. It is difficult to ascertain the amount of damage, although a million is stated.

MARVELLOUS ESCAPES. TWO MEN IMPRISONED IN LIFT WELL. HOW POOR CLEGG'S RETREAT was cl;t OFF. HORDERN’S RESERVE STOCK, .£1,290,000 ’ WORTH, By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Received 10.20 p.m., June 10. Sydney, July 10. Some two hundred early hands, including a nunjber of women, were in the building when the fire broke out. ThostJ Qfi the high er floors had difficulty in escaping.

A man named Borthwick, employed on the top storey, finding his escape cut off, attempted to descend a rope from tho window. He fell, breaking liis leg. Two others were in the lift well. The lift descended, and they were held prisoners until a fireman released them. Clegg’s coat caught fire as ho stood on the parapet. He threw it off, and then knelt for a moment evidently praying. He rose again, and jumped. Alany employees assisted the firemen in the early stages of the conflagration, Clegg and two others were working tho hose. Seeing that their position was dangerous, the Superintendent ordered them to desist. Clegg evidently failed to take warning until it was too late, and his retreat cut off.

The employees managed to save considerable property from the departments adjoining the main building. They also saved the books and papers. The firm have already taken steps to secure temporary premises, and carry on business. They havo reserve stocks valued at a million and a quarter in a warehouse in the city, secured in anticipation of tho Federal tariff.

THE INSURANCES. Received 1.15 a.m., July 11. Sydney, July 10. So far as can be gathered, the iocal insurance companies are little affected by Hordern’s tire. The New Ki aland offices involved are the South British, £10,500, and New Zealand £SUV Hordern’s insurance are about .£400,000, the bulk being in British companies.