FIRE IN ASHBURTON

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2070, 23 December 1907, Page 2

FIRE IN ASHBURTON

Press Association. ASHBURTON, Dec. 21. The biggest fire experienced in Ashburton for some years past occurred last night, in a large wooden building, until recently occupied by the Salvation Army as barracks, but now converted into shops and occupied by Robert Donn and Sous, painters, and J. H. Scott and Co., cabinetmakers. The fire started in the Hatter portion of the building, and had a good hold when discovered at 11.30 by the police. The building being old, tlie fire spread very rapidly, and soon got into Donn’s store, whqro, fed by a large quantity of turpentine, white lead, and paint, it raged very fiercely, and although the fire brigade made /every effort there was no possibility of saving the building, ■which was burnt to the ground with all the stocks in trlado. Tlie flames at the same time invaded Henry' Stephenson’s corrugated iron auction rooms, immediately adjoining, to such an extent that it will have to be rebuilt. Though most of the furniture and sale goods generally in it were saved they were very consideflably damaged. Tlie cottage and offieo owned by L. McElrea, and occupied by Kerr Bros., coal "merchants, on the other side, were also gutted, while the heat of the fire was so great, that all the windows of the several premises on the other side of the street were cracked, and had it not been for the united efforts of the-brigade and a willing band of helpers, these premises would also have been destroyed. As it was, a boarding-house opposite was considerably charred and damaged by water, and tlie yd'nine of fire was so great that a. building a block away, with a shingle roof, was in danger from sparks, o.tc., for a time. Tlie insurances and losses are: Donn and Sons £7OO on building (estimated value £1500) and £4OO on stock in the North British (estimated carrying £900) ; Scott and Co., £2OO on stock (£800); Henry Stephenson, £250 on :lie building and £4O on tlie furniture in the Norwich Union; Henry McElrea, £SO on cottago and offices in London, Liverpool, and Globe (estimated value of house £100).