SERIOUS FIRE.

Grey River Argus, 18 February 1927, Page 4

SERIOUS FIRE.

IN UDDSTROM’S FACTORY Establishment Gutted. MOSS AND CO.’S DAMAGED. Great excitement was created yesterday afternoon when a black column of smoke was seen ascending from the rear <»f the furniture factory of Mr Charles Uddstrom in Mackey Street, about a quarter to two o’clock. Uy the time an alarm had been sounded, and the Fire Brigade mobilised, the interior of the factory was in the grip of the flames, which soon began to show amidst a huge cloud of smoke. Fortunately the direction of the wind was not such as to carry the flames parallel with the street, but the fire worked backwards menacing the rear of the buildings fronting Tainui Street, including Dixon ’s stationery, Wade and Co.’s cycle ry, ami Bevington’s Hotel, behind which some cottages are situated. It waj» some time, however, before the fire worked its way back of the brick walls containing the factory, over a couple of intervening offices that were not in occupation, but then it attacked the roof of the big building of Messrs G.

W. Moss and Co., the store becoming ignited. Meanwhile, volunteer salvage gangs got to work to shift stocks from the buildings afire and in danger. The Fire Brigade played hoses with effect upon Moss’s and the front of Uddstrom’s, as soon as the pressure became strong, ami thereby confined the damage chiefly to the furniture factory. The roof of Wade and Co.’s caught alight, but the flames there were soon put out. A newly erected brick repair shop built by Messrs Hannah and Co.

in connection with their new building, proved an effective bar to the fire attacking the buildings fronting Mackey Street, but the backs of the unoccupied offices between Moss’s and Uddstrom’s were damaged. From the burning places not a great deal was removed, the goods salved being chiefly items of furniture from the front parts. Thirty gramophones were taken out of Moss and Co.’s, of which 20 were somewhat affected by water. The great bulk of Uddstrom’s stock and all the machinery and workroom fittings were either destroyed or greatly damaged, the factory and workrooms being gutted. The storeroom at Moss and Co.’s was considerably damaged, and the merchandise, including 300 sacks of chaff, 100 of oats, and a dozen each of wheat and bran, were saturated with water. The footpath in front of these premises was idled with salvaged goods. The dense smoke served to keep back the crowd, but it made the firemen’s task difficult as they worked two leads from Mackay Street and two from Tainui Street. The Dennis Engine, when put io work, speeded up the flow of water, but it took half an hour to get the mastery, with the aid of the five leads used. The cause of the fire is not definitely known. Some shavings were burnt yesterday morning upon the concrete floor of the furniture factory, but when Mr Uddstrom closed up at noon there was no sign of any fire, and he is at a loss to account for the cause. It was tort unate that the wind did not make up till after the finfe for had it done so sooner, it is certain Moss and Co. would have suffered greater loss. At the western side of Uddstrom’s there is a vacant space, preventing the'fire from spreading in that direction. The insurances, as far as ascertainable, were: On Uddstrom’s building (of which the owner is Miss Britten, of Gladstone Siding), £lOOO in the Northern Office; on Uddstrom’s machinery, £l2OO in the Northern Office; on Uddstrom ’s stock and fittings, £5OO in the Alliance office, and approximately £lOOO in other offices; on Moss and Co.’s office, shop and stock. £BOO in the New Zealand Insurance Co.’s Office, and £7OO in the London and Lancashire Office; on Moss and Co.’s merchandise, £750 in the New Zealand Coy.’s Office. The insurances on the other places damaged are not available. t Your’s may be the next! Are you fully insured. If not, insure now with the Atlas Insurance Coy., Baillie Neville and Co., West Coast Agents.— Advt.