Destructive Fire at Gisborne.

Hastings Standard, Issue 324, 17 May 1897, Page 4

Destructive Fire at Gisborne.

HEAVY DAMAGE. [By Tklkguaph.] (Per IVr.s.-; Association.) Gisboexe, May IG. The most destructive fire that has occurred in Gisbome for many years broke out this morning in the large block of stone buildings in Gladstone road occupied by William Pettie (draper), Williams and Kettle (merchants), the Bank of New South Wales, and W. D. Lynsar (barrister). The fire swept clean through the interior of these premises, eating everything to the bare walls. It was ten minutes past five when the alarm was raised, and by this time the flames filled Pettie's showroom, which was crammed with light inflammable materials, and were bursting through the skylights iu the roof. Mr Dodds, teller at the Bank of New South Wales, was probably the first to give the alarm, .de was sleeping in a room at the back of the bank next door, and was awakened by the roar and crash of fire, and had barely time to save a few of the bank's papers and his own belongings. Fanned by a light westerly breeze, the flames spread with amazing rapidity through the whole of Mr Pettie's premises, into the bank on one side and Williams and Kettle's on the other, whilst the bond underneath, which was filled with large stocks of spirits and being all ablaze, gave a body to the flame, and made any attempt to save the property included in the block futile. Both Pettie and Williams and Kettle held very large stocks, larger in fact than they have ever had, and will lose considerably over their insurances. The bank strong-room fortunately escaped damage, and all the books, papers, and valuables were recovered practically uninjured. Williams and Kettle's and Lysnar's strong-room, however, seems to have suffered by the fire, a large portion of their contents of valuable documents, &c., being charred or smoked. In Williams and Kettle's were stored large quantities of spirits belonging to that firm, the Farmers' Co-operative Association, and Mathewson, and these burning Caused a very fine pyrotechnic display. Williams and Kettle had also a good stock of cartridges and sportsmen's gunpowder, which, as it exploded, sounded like a fusilade of musketry. The Gisborne fire brigade turned out very promptly, and soon had a big stream of water playing on the flames, but the fire had such a hold when discovered that it was impossible to make any salvage within the walls of the burning building. Fireman James Thompson slipped when fixing a hydrant and broke the small bone in one of his legs. The building was owned by Mr Edward Murphy, sheepfarmer, Te Arai. It is difficult to say how the fire originated. Mr Pettie when locking up his premises last night satisfied himself all was safe, and cannot believe that the fire started in his place, but thinks it must have come from the cellar underneath, the forepart of which is the bond. His shop was chock full of new stock, which he values at £6OOO, £2OOO above the insurances. Williams and Kettle had a very large stock of produce and general merchandise in their store. On the afternoon previous they stored 160 sacks oats. It is impossible at short notice to make up a full value of the stock, but it is known to be a considerable amount above the insurance covers.