FIRE OUTBREAK.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1926, Page 2

FIRE OUTBREAK.

The firehell ran out an alarm of fire yesterday afternoon at .0.10 o’clock. The scene of the outbreak was in the office of Mr C. J. P. Sellers, solicitor, in Hamilton Street. The fire started in a. quantity of waste paper in the front portion of the office, apparently caused by a dropped match, as Mr Sellers had lit a cigarette before leaving the office only a few minutes before. The flames had ran up the side of the wall on which were shelves with valuable books and papers, and had a good hold of the wall. There was a great volume of smoke pouring from under the eaves of the roof when the Brigade reached the scene, hardly a moment after the alarm was given, as quite a number of the members wero in that locality at the moment on their way home from work. A line of hose was run out and in a very brief period the flames which were running up the wall were under control and the outbreak was overcome. The damage to the building is not of any great extent only one wall being affected, but valuable reference and other law books and papers in the front office were ruined by fire and water. The building and contents are insured in the Southern Cross Office for .£'loo.