BIG FIRE IN CHRISTCHURCH

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2109, 7 February 1908, Page 2

BIG FIRE IN CHRISTCHURCH

SEVERAL LARGE BUILDINGS DESTROYED. MANY MORE THREATENED. LARGEST FILMS EVER KNOWN IN THE CITY. Press Association. CJJR.ISTCHURC.iI, Eeb. 0. Probably the largest and mont destructive lire that bus yet occurred in Christchurch broke out late tonight in one end of Strange and Co.’s largo block of buildings, situated at the corner of High and Lichfield Streets, in the busiest part of the city. The fire started in a large warehouse in Lichfield Street, filled with carpets, linoleum, and other heavy furnishing material, and in the space of a few minutes the whole building was a mass of flames, and nothing could be done to save it. Areanwhilo flic fire had spread through the building at tile hack, fronting on to High Street, and in turn to Ashby, Borg and Co.’s ironmongery establishment, tho White Hart Hotel, and other buildings in the vicinity, which were quickly in a blaze, and were rapidly destroyed with their contents. Alalcolm and Co.’s warehouse in Lichfield Street, adjoining Strange and Co.’s linoleum department, also caught alight, and the fire spread right through the building. A marine fireproof wall saved Strange and Co.’s main building, hut up to midnight the fire was still burning fiercely, and many other buildings in the vicinity wero threatened.