A DESIRUSTIVE FIRE.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 November 1918, Page 2

A DESIRUSTIVE FIRE.

MUCH BUILDING MATERIAL LOST WELLINGTON, Nov. 5. A fire broke out in a timber yard in Taranaki Street to-night, and destroyed a great quantity of building material. The fire is believed to have started in the Wellington Co-operative Timber and Box Co’s yard. The timber was chiefly white pine, which was destroyed. There was also destroyed a big two-storey iron factory. full of machinery, while a twostorey brick factory, occupied by the same company, was completely gutted. Millar’s West, Australian Hardwood Company lost practically all their stock of timber, also a workshop; hut their office was saved. The stock of timber iji C. Symmous’ yard was completely destroyed. A great feature of the fire was the saving of Jesse Street from destruction. It is a- narrow thoroughfare, lined on each side with two-storey wooden houses. The brigade made a splendid fight, and after two hours of hard work, the danger to Jesse Strrot was averted. About 30 or 40 houses had meanwhile been stripped of their furniture, and tlie Mayor therefore placed the Town Hall at the disposal of those whose homes had been dismantled. No estimate can be given at present of the losses, but they must amount to many thousands.