SERIOUS FIRES.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1551, 7 February 1879, Page 3

SERIOUS FIRES.

■ ♦— FIRE IN LICHFIELD STREET. Shortly before six o'clock last night the Lichfield street fire bell ran out an alarm, and dense volumes of smoke from the vicinity of the Oddfellows' Hall evinced that a fire of no ordinary character had broken out. It was soon discovered that the business premises of Messrs Saunders Bros., in Lichfield street, a large block of buildings situate next to the Fire Brigade Station, was in flames. The fire, so far as could be ascertained, originated in the back towards Tuam street, and though only a few minutes elapsed from the time of the alarm being given to the brigade being on the spot, the warehouses were so full of goods that the whole was in a mass of flame, over which tho engines had little or no control. The building was divided into three sections, being occupied respectively by Messrs Saunders Bros., general merchants ; Messrs Sirgood and Co., Dunedin, and Mr H. B. Sorensen. Mr Superintendent Harris and the B igade were speedily on the spot. The steamer Deluge was stationed at the tank in Colombo street, near Messrs Montgomery and Co.'s, the Dreadnought and Extinguisher being at the White Hart tank. Seeing that to attempt to copy with the fire in the building itself would be almost useless, Mr Harris directed the efforts of the brigade towards preventing the spread of the lire to the eastward and westward, and in this they were fortunately successful. It speaks very greatly for the energy of the brigade that notwithstanding the immense body of fire, they were enabled to prevent it going further than the building in which it originated. Although the Fire Brigade Station all but joins it, the danger at one time to the station was so imminent that orders were giving for the packing up of the books, &c, preparatory to removal. To add to the risk of the fire spreading, the tank opposite the White Hart ran out, and the Extinguisher had to be removed to the one opposite Messrs Wilson and Sawtell's warehouse. This too in its turn gave out, and Mr Harris had then, as a last resource, to depend upon the river. The building in which the fire took place was at tho time fully stocked with goods in all three divisions, and this being so, the very large body of fire with which the brigade had to cope may bo imagined. Gradually, and despite the efforts of the brigade, who worked most manfully, the flames spread from the back of the buiding to the front, and soon the whole block, which fortunately, to some extent at least, stood isolated, was oil lire. At this time the Fire Brigade Station and the Oddfellows' Hall were in some danger, but a continuous play of writer on the western side of the burning block fortunately averted this. As to the origin of the fire there is no information. Mr Saunders and some of the clerks h;'d not left the building more than ten minutes when it broke out, and they are positive that no light of any kind had been ustd on the premises that day. It wa3 intended to work last evening, and for that purpose the ledgers, &c., were left out, a circumstance which enabled them to be saved.

The Fire Police, under their officers, and the regular police, under Commissioner Broham and Inspector Hickson, were early on the spot, and rendered good service in keeping the ground clear for the operations of the brigade. About 10 o'clock last night the debris blazed up again, and it was feared would give some trouble. Mr Superintendent Harris sent to the railway for the use of their engine, but on arrival it was found that the boiler was leaking so badly that it was not used. The upper portion of the warehouse, which was 60 1120, was occupied by Messrs Bargood and Co., of Dunedin, and was stored with soft goods of the most inflammable character. From this portion of the building nothing whatever was saved, not even the books of the firm. The lower part was occupied entirely by Mr Sorensen and Saunders Bros., with the exception of a small office in the eastern corner, occupied by Messrs Sargood. In the cellars, it is stated, was stored at the time of the fire a very large quantity of butter, the property of Messrs George King and Co., , which, we understand, was covered by insurance to the extent of £IOOO. The insurances on the block, so far as could be ascertained, were as follows: Saunders Bros, on stock, New Zealand, £4000; South British, £2500; Standard, £1000; Liverpool, London, and Globe, £1000: total on stock of Messrs Saunders Bros., £BSOO. On building, which is the property of Messrs Saunders Bros., New Zealand, £1000; Colonial £1000; Briish, £500; tofal on building:, £2500. The building wus valued at £4OOO, thus Messrs Saunders Bros, lose £ISOO on the buildirg. They valued the stock at£l2,ooo, thus making their total lots £SOOO. H. B. Sorensen's stock, in tho Standard, £3OOO. So far as can be ascertained, Mr Browne, the manager here for Sargood and Co., being in Dunedin, and no hooks being saved, the insurance on tho stock of that firm wa3 £3OOO, but there is little doubt that this amount is considerably understated, as the stock was very large indeed. FIRE IN OASHEL STREET. Shortly before 1 a.m. the fire bell at the Lichfield street station again rang out. Many thought that this was only the debris at the fire in Lichfield street, but a cloud of smoke rising from tho direction of Cashel street West showed that yet another fire had broken out. The alarm was given by Sergt. Hughes, who was on duty in Cashel street, and saw smoke issuing from a galvanised iron store in tho rear of Messrs Twentyman and Cousin's warehou?e in Cashel street. Tho store was filled with hardware, but had in the webtern end a stable, in which was one horse. Bo far as could bo seen, the fire originated in the western end, near where the stable was situate. At any rate the fiic must have been smouldering for some time before it wus (iis covered, as when the alarm was given the building wai almost full of flame. Mews of the demand for their services in another direction was conveyed to tho brigade, who were at work in Lichfield street, and Mr Superintendent Harris and a detachment of tho brigade were soon on the spot. A couple or lengths of hope were speedily got out, and a supply of water obtained from the river. Tho brigade worked ovist pluekily, Branchinan Hobbs being espe-

chilly i oiiceidno for f he eouvnge with which ho carried his branch into a ycry perilous position, and only returni) tr when driven buck by the Samee and smoke. With a good supply of water f/au the river, the brigade managed

to cor fine the fire to the store in which it broke out, and after about an hour's work all danger was at an end. The origin of the fire is unknown, though the police in searching the premises found a hat and coat in the stable suggestive of the presence of a tramp.