THE REEFTON FIRE

Hokitika Guardian, 3 February 1928, Page 2

THE REEFTON FIRE

F l' lf I'll Eli PARTICULARS. The tire, it is believed, originated in the back portion of W. ■). Morris and Co., drapers, and when the alarm was given had a tremendous hold. Keating’s hotel was the next to go, the hoarders having a very strenuous time in getting clear, one, Mr Ij. E Morgan, solicitor, having to jump lrom the back balcony. Tint Fire Brigade bad by this time a lead on from Smith Street, and three from liroadw..y. and put up a big light, the heat being tremendous. ‘I here was no chance oi saving Hull's shop, and an elfort unmade to save the City Hotel, but it was soon seen there was no hope ol saving either Sullivan's fruit simp or the hotel. The Hying sparks had already ignited the remains of an old building on the opposite side ot Broadway, and every effort was then pul forth to salvage as much as possible from the doomed buildings. From Keating's, Duff’s and .Morris and Co’s, nothing could be saved, as it was only inviting suicide to enter the burning building. Bonifacio’s was the next to be destroyed. Despite hemdanoan elforts of lho Brigade, the lire reached Clmlk and Co’s and soon both ends of this building were fully ablaze, the manager. Mr -I. B. Discaciati hastily removing hi-, books and valuables.

Meanwhile fears were entertained as to whether the lire could be confined to the upper pol l ion of the town above Smith Street, as a strong wind bad sprung up and iatiued the flames into a veritable inlerno. It was seen that there was no hope of saving Bourke s Hotel, into which I’al Sullivan had recently shifted, and as much oi his -lock and furniture as willing bands could move was hurriedly -.hilled, tile Brigade meanwhile concentrated their cll’ovis to prevent the whole of Lower Broadway being destroyed, and as the wind still held it was feared that this could not be accomplished. The heat was blistering ibe paint on Harold Bio-, store and bakery. ’I he Globe Hotel wa> being emptied, as well as ,Ins. Wilis' tea rooms. The flying -park- were a serious menace to a very l.irgr area a- live sparks during the height ol Hi" lire were carried right mil .oi to lire Duller Hoad as far as Air IToutiec's private house, almost opposite the -* In 01. hut the work oT the firemen bad its reward, and the lire did not reach Smith Street. About I a.ill. the worst was over, the whole oi the block from Patterson's store to Smith Street being a heap of burning ruins and twisted iron with the I,lick chimneys of the destroved buildings -landing as grim reminder- ol Hie. night’s havoc and hard work.

The Fire Brigade, assisted hv willing helpers, put up a splendid fight. The shortage of water added to their difficulties. Coghlan’s private house at the hack of Keating’s caught alight three Limes and the stables at the rear of the City Hotel were totally destroyed. Electric light and telephone wires are all down.

Broadway, at daylight i,- littered with burnt debris, electric light and telephone wires and such furniture as was removed from the threatened buildings, which the respective owners are trying to sought out. the place presenting a scene of desolation and destruction. only once seen before in the history of 11 oof ton. about the year 1877.‘ A NOTH KR FIR E. Shortly afterwards, still another lire was reported in Williams’ late boot -bop. in Upper Broadway, next to AlcCruer's. I'll it was put out before it bad a goal bold, or otherwise that block would have been destroyed also. It is alleged that the last-named lire was due to an act oi' ineoiidmri.-m, as lbo wind was blowing in the opposite direction, and tin lire could not have been caused by sparks. OTHER FIRES. Ye-lei'day afternoon then l wan an alarm of tire given, and it was due to the fact that the lupins growing at the hack of Broadway on the riverlied wore on tire. The Fire Brigado pill oui this lire. At I o'clock this afternoon there was yd another alarm rung, owing to a scrub lire near the Railway Station among the blackberries. The fire endangered the railway employees’ bouses in the vicinity. The outbreak was got under control with tlie aid”of a bucket brigade. Numerous tires are still raging in the same locality. There are choppy winds, which make matters dangerous. Rain Is very necessary here now. Hie reservoir being low. There are bush tires still raging in the Tnangalnm Amiley lrom Ikamatua and upwards to Heefton. and at Wailalm and C'ronadim. Last evening the fires along the lolls from Ikamatua to lieofton were blazing freely, the people at Hukarere having to protect their bouses night and day with buckets of water.

The Forestry Department employees are out fighting the bush fires in the Stale forests at Waitahu. The cause of the fire is a mystery yet to lie solved. The smouldering amid the ruins is now mostly out, members of the Fire Brigade being on the scene all day to-day extinguishing slight outbreaks in the timber strewn about.