GREAT FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1660, 16 June 1879, Page 2

GREAT FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

[Bx Telegraph.] WELLINGTON, June 16th, 2 a.m. The largest fire ever known in Wellington, in which the probable loss will be £50,000, and the infurances about £20,000, commenced at 8.30 last night at the Imperial Opera House, the custodian and his wife being out at the time. The fire brigades were very promptly on the ground, but water seemed to have little effect upon the blaze. The Opera House sent out sheets of flame across Manners street, which rendered it perfectly impassable, and shortly the Methodist Church, which was opposite the Opera House, was a mass of flame. A slight north-west wind was blowing, and sent the flames to the Nag’s Head Hotel, which, being an old building, was soon level with the ground. The flames then crossed Cuba street, and set the Royal Oak Hotel in flames, which soon ignited the Market Hall and several new shops, all of which were reduced to ashes. Two important blocks in Cuba street were in great danger for some time, Whitehouse’s grocery being at one corner, and Smith’s drapery at the other. The Naval Brigade and other volunteers manned the front of the buildings with Jwet blankets, and by great efforts they managed to prevent the lire gaining any hold, though it caught several times. The firemen worked magnificently. In certain positions they were obliged to cover themselves with wot blankets. The heat was so intense that, although the Bank of New Zealand was of brick and concrete, it was soon in flames, the fire getting in through the windows. At one time it seemed, with the breeze blowing, and the ineffectiveness of the water supply, that the fire would spread over a larger area than it did. The following are the buildings destroyed, and the estimated losses, the exact insurances not being obtainable to-night: Opera House, loss £I2OOO, insurance £7OOO ; Wesleyan Church, loss £6OOO, insured in Church fund ; Bank of New Zealand (brick and concrete), loss £2500, uninsured, everything saved; Wesleyan School, loss £6CKD ; Eddie & Jack’s, bottlers, £2000; Strafford’s hay and corn store, £1500; Hogarth’s timber yard, £IOOO ; Graves and Fleming, large drapery stock and house, £4OOO ; Scott, ironmonger, £1000; Rickman, shoemaker, £IOOO ; Nag’s Head hotel and stables, £2500 ; Murket Hall, £IOOO ; Royal Oak, £2OOO ; Williams, Cameron & Co, £7oo'; working Mens’Club, £1500; furniture insured for £650; Engloman’s fancy repository, £1500; Warcup, shoemaker, £300; Smart’s oyster saloon, and Young’s oyster saloon, £SOO eacli; Macarthy’s brewery damaged, loss probably £5500 A stranger who was exerting hin self very much, and was on the top of the Opera House assisting all he could, is supposed to have been burnt to death.

The breeze carried the sparks for at least half a mile, and a good deal of alarm was caused in consequence. The streets were blockaded with furniture and goods from the burning houses. By a quarter to eleven all danger of the fire spreading further was over. The hose of the fire brigades burst a good many times during the fire, and impeded their efforts.

With reference to the fire wo are informed that the Colonial Company’s loss, after deducting re-insurances, is under fourteen hundred pounds.