A BIG BLAZE

Hokitika Guardian, 14 May 1932, Page 5

A BIG BLAZE

AT WELLINGTON R.S.A. CLUB.

CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE

Jiij Telegraph — t'er I’ress Association)

WELLINGTON, May 13

A fire which swept through the greater portion of the Returned Soldiers’ Club, a wooden building,. at the corner of Featherstone and Branclon 'Streets, this evening, provided a spectacular sight for about an hour, and caused considerable damage to each of the three floors..

'- About a dozen were ploying billiards in' the saloon on the top floor. They found the stairway to he a mass of' smoke and flames when they attempted to make- their escape, and it was only their lucky finding of some rope under a couch that enabled them to get away from the blazing building in time.

It is thought that the fire originated from an electric transformer station, which is situated next door, on the, northern side' of the building. At any cate it started on the wound floor near the bottom of the Brandon St. stairway, and with amazing rapidity it went to'the top floor. . The Central Fire Station received the alarm at 6.301 ’ WcTW**®? time the’ Brigade reached the building, the. fire had a very strong hold. About a dozen men.who were playing billiards on the. top floor, first kui. ! lt the smoke about 6,15 o'clock, They attempted to make their exit bv means of the stairway in a smith-eas-tern corner, but found this impossible, because of a dense volume of smoke and flame coming np from below. There were no fire escapes, and a jump to the pavement below would mean certain death.

Then one of them, a seaman, remembered that there was a rope undgji’ one of couches. Two long pieces o' •ope wore secured to the billiard table leas, and were dconned out of the windows, one in Brandon Street, and one : n Featherstone Street, and when it was found that the flames,' which were shooting angrily from the windows below, were burning them as descended, the remainder, with, the exception of two, made a successful escape by means of the rope suspended into Featherstone Street.

One of the two men left r.n tlm too floor was the caretaker o ft the buildink, who, on account of his age, would have found it very difficult to have gone down the rope. The flames were rapidly gaining ground. Just at this time the brigade arrived. .An electric escape ladder was* brought into operation, and in a very few seconds, extensions had been run up’ to where the entrapped men were, 60 odd feet above the pavement. The Brigade now had a stiff task before it. The fire had gained an exceptionally strong hold, and a gusty wind was fanning the flames dangerously. In about an hour the fire was well under control.

- The principal premises damaged by fire and water were:— The Club rooms of the Returned Soldiers’ Association.

The offices of H. E. Leighton and Co., Land Agents. Mr Empson, tailor. The Rlue Cab Companv. The South African War Veterans’ rooms.