Wanganui’s Biggest Fire.

Manawatu Herald, 14 August 1902, Page 2

Wanganui’s Biggest Fire.

At about a quarter to one on Sunday '

morning the bells sounded a fire alarm . ;', in No. i ward. The outbreak proved to be in the large and handsome i W premises o£ the New Zealand Loa.il j and Mercantile Agency. Company,' 1 Taupo Quay. By ten' past one 'the;. -. " flames were raging fiercely trom end ~ to end of the building, and the sight presented was as magnificent was , sorrowful. The firemen heroically. The heat was intense cracking the, glass in the windows of Messrs Levin and Co’s, warehouse on the opposite side of the street, but the red-coated fire-figbtere got within arm’s length of the scorching walls, and stood to their work so long as it was humanly possible. Once a. ladder was seen to fall and a rnoneid later two firemen were carried away from the base of the burning wall. One of them—Fireman Quin —appeared to be badly injured. Further inquiry elicited the fact that his worse injury Was’ a ■ badly sprained ankle- The other fire-, man who fell with the ladder was Ronald McGregor, who, although he received a bad shaking, was soon back at his post. The building stood on land owned by the Railway Depart-, raent. The Company, of course, held the insurance, and it is a rather singular thing that the building was insurediu . the name ot the King ! The fire was discovered by Constable Satherly, who npticed smoke issuing from one of the windows on the groundfloor —the second from the lower , end . of the building. The building was * insured for £2OOO and the contents for £sl6o, both policies being in the New Zealand Company’s office, A further policy for £6OO oc the building lapsed in June last—Chronicle. •*' y-