WELLINGTON FIRE

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1932, Page 6

WELLINGTON FIRE

WHOLE BLOCK DESTROYED

HEAVY RESULTING DAMAGE.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, May 26

The Wellington Fire Brigade was set a pretty sever© task about one o’clock this morning to get tlie better of the outbreak at Newtown, which in a l aging .southerly gale, demolished a block oAmildings containing four shops and residential quarters, and two apartment houses alongside, and threatened others, some of which are blackened, but none are seriously damaged.

Besides the threat of fire from "seas of sparks, carried oft' and fanned by the wind, there was added danger of flying sheets of roofing iron, which ever and anon were carried up into the air and thrown hither and thither with the gusts that bore them. The main building was a two-storied one, and owned by Messrs Lewis and Joseph, the insurance not being available. The occupiers were Mr C. J. Burns and family, who ran a butchery in one of and was not insured; Daliaya Bala, an Indian fruiterer, who also lived on the premises, and whose insurance is not available; A. F. Turner, and liis wife and family, who carried on a grocery business, th» insurance not being available; and James Booth, his wife and child, proprietor of a dairy business, who had an insurance of £3OO on the stock and furniture in the London Lancashire Office.

One of the apartment houses was of teii rooms, and owned and occupied hy Mr G. Bartholomew, wife and family; The house was insured for £IOOO in T.0.A.. hut that on the furniture is not available. Tlie other apartment house of eleven rooms, was occupied h v Mr and Mrs G, Morris and family, the house being insured for £1290, and the contents for £3OO in the Commercial Union.