BIG BLAZE

Hokitika Guardian, 29 November 1929, Page 6

BIG BLAZE

LARGE STRUCTURES DESTROYED

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association )

WELLINGTON, Nor. 28

Probably the most serious fire , that has ever taken place at Day’s Bay occurred there this afternoon, when two large main road structures were totally demolished with all the contents, and a third large; house was-, very badly burnt on one side. The premises affected (all wooden) wore: Air H. Downs’ tearooms arid boardinghouse (26 rooms) totally destroyed. Aliss Hawthorne’s residence (six rooms) totally destroyed. Mr A. Knowles’ residence, badly scorched. The fire broke out at the rear of Mr Downs’ accommodation house a little l>efore 3 p.m The kitchen was soon well ablaze, and as there were no means of checking the flames at the time, they, with the aid of a fresh breeze, very quickly spread throughout the whole of the large building, the occupants of which had no time to save anything, and barely time to save themselves. In the course of ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, the whole of the building was a seething furnace of flames that leapt thirty feet in the air, and were easily visible from the northern end of the city and the south and western heights. The Vounteer Brigade at Eastbourne was summoned as quickly as possible and was soon on the spot. Under the direction of Captain Drummond the brigadesmen eid what they could with their chemical! engine, hut the dimensions of the fire had gone past such a feeble resource, and the flames leapt on unchecked.