DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3014, 23 March 1926, Page 3

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

BLOCK OF BUILDINGS AT WAIROA. *

Wairoa, March 21. Another disastrous blaze occurred here at 1.45 yesterday morning, when a block of five shops situated at the west end of the Marine Parade, close to the scene of the last fire, were totally destroyed, making a total of about forty buildings burnt for the last three years. The origin of the fire is unknown. The premises destroyed were occupied by S. Small (bookseller), owned by the Howes Estate (Napier) ; A. D. Hall and Co. (tailors and outfitters); Miss Williams (art depot), Glover (milliner), and L. Storey (auction mart). The last four buildings were owned by R. Martin (Hastings). _ It is the second occasion Mr. Storey has been burnt out within six weeks.

No fire brigade has yet been formed, or is there any fire-fighting equipment available in the borough. The spectators again had to stand helplessly looking on while millions of gallons of water flowed past in the river a few chains away. An hour after the alarm two leads of hose were brought from the freezing works, and the borough water supply which is nearing completion was made available. It was a splendid pressure, but came too late to save the buildings. It prevented the fire, however, from spreading. BLAZE IN CHRISTCHURCH. £IO,OOO WORTH OF DAMAGE. Cristehurch, March 21. About £IO,OOO worth of damage was done by fire yesterday afternoon in the booksellers and stationers’ shop of Messrs. L. M. Isitt, Ltd., Cashell Street. At about 2 p.m. smoke was seen issuing from the roof, and the alarm was given The fire was already burning fiercely, and an easterly wind fanned the flames considerably. The seat of the fire was at the back of the shop, and probably on this account it had gained strength before it was observed from the street.

Fire and water ruined about £lO,000 worth of books and general stationery, and the back part of the building, which is of two stories was burnt out. The cause of the outbreak is a mystery.

The brigade directed a considerable portion of their efforts to saving the adjoining premises from destruction, and in this'they succeeded.

The block was, insured for £14,000 in the following offices: Phoenix, Australian, Alliance, Norwich Union, Guardian, South British, Royal Exchange, Atlas, and Ocean. The building is insured for £4,600 in the National, Alliance, and Phoenix offices. A large amount of paper in the cellar was stored for Wildings’ printing works, and insured under separate cover. OUTBREAK IN EXHIBITION. DISPLAY STAND BURNT. Dunedin, March 21. The fusing of the electric wires attached to the illuminated sign in I lie New' Zealand Secondary Industries Pavilion of the exhibition caused a lire at 8.40 o’clock last night, which destroyed a large display stand and damaged an adjoining stall. For a time it threatened the big building stand. The stand was the property of the New Zealand Clothing Factory, and was devoted to'the displaying of men’s and boys’ suiting on several wax figures. The brigade was early on the scene, and a good save of the remainder of the building was effected. Slight water damage was done. Nearby many of the open stalls had to be protected from the thick smoke that filled the pavilion. Many hundreds of people were in the pavilion, the hour being the busiest of the evening. The value of the stand was approximately £6OO, and the damage is estimated at three-quar-ters of that amount. The insurance is held by the Alliance Company, and totals between £4OO and £SOO. TWO BUSES DESTROYED. Christchurch, March 21. Early this morning two large buses belonging to the Inter-City Bus Company, together with a garage situated at the corner of Collingwood and Union Streets, near Brighton, were totally destroyed by fire. The brigade was called to the lire, but could do nothing to save the garage or the buses, and all their efforts were directed to saving the adjoining buildings. All that remains of the two buses is a tangled mass of iron.