SERIOUS FIRE IN LEVIN.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 May 1910, Page 2

SERIOUS FIRE IN LEVIN.

THIIEM SHOPS GUTTED. A serious lire occurred in Oxford Ureet, Levin, early this morning, thereby threw shops were- completely gutted. They bolonged, respectively, to Mr l\ Stevens, who owned .t grocery and general store; 'Miss Campbell, a drapery and millinery establishment; and a stationery «ind fancy business 'belonging to Mrs Wheatley. The origin o. the lire is a mystery. Mr Stevens himself was on his premises till a Into hour last evening, and it appears that, everything was safe then. At about t-liriM! o'clock in Uio morning, Mr D. Musgrovo noticed that the premises were on lire and immediately rang .the alarm. Tlic members of tho brigade hastily appeared on the scone, but in the meantime Mr Musgrove had brought tho reel and tho other fire appliances to tlm scene of .the conflagration. Tho brigade Was under the command of Lieut. Johnson, Captain Jones heing away in, Wellington. Unfortunately, by the time tho first -attempt to extinguish this flames was made, tho buildings were burning brightly; and inasmuch «s the brigade was unable to find tlio pings, ■> considerable interval elapsed 17eI'ore the water could be turned on. Eventually the hose was placed into position at the end of Queen street .it tho ooriior of tho post, office, and a stream of water was at once directed on the burning buildings. Hy this time, however, it was obvious they were doomed. Tho flames Were raging more particularly at tho roar of tho premises, and •i determined effort was nisuln to •save the front jmrtions of the buildings. But the flames spread witli alarming rapidity, and all attempts to save- the premises proved fruitless. The contents of th« buildings ware devoured by the flames like tinder, and tho only urticlon that remain to-day are a few bars of soap and tins of meat, hut all 'ire rendered useless by tho firo and water. Largo crowds of people? have been inspecting the buildings to-day. The rear of ...r Stevens' shop is burned right out, and pieces of corrugated tin and eharr'od rafters aro lying in all direo.taoiiK. Thi! fronts of .the buildings are gutted, and the blackened rafters ■Hid broken windows present a. sacl iceno of tho havoc caused by the ml break. Miss Campbell s .stuck was insured for eiOO in the State Fire ,, ntlice, biiit her loss will bo considerably over that amount. Hei , policy would have run out in another fortnights time, and she had de•itled to increase the amount of her •over when renewing. Mr StevtMis was insured to the extent of £150 on tho stock and CoO on the fittings in the Alliance jfliee, and an additional £100 on the stork in the Atlas office. The shop, which belongs to Mr W. M. Clark, was insured for £7/5 ,in tho Commercial, and for £-. in the Norwich Union. Mrs Wheatley was insured for 0100 in the New Zealand Insurance Company. Her shop and thalt of Miss Cinnpbell were owned by Mr H. Campbell, of Nnrsewobd, and were valued at about £400.