DISASTROUS FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3877, 29 November 1928, Page 2

DISASTROUS FIRE IN WELLINGTON.

£250,000 DAMAGE DONE. Wellington, November 27.. One of the most disastrous fires in the history of Wellington, resulting in damage estimated at from £200,000 to £250,000, occurred in the city about 10 o’clock last night. Over half the block of buildings, lying between Allen and Blair streets, and including two of the principal fruit and produce marts of the city, were completely gutted, and extensive damage resulted to other premises. The fire raged with great intensity from 10 o’clock last night until 2 o’clock in the morning, and provided a wonderful spectacle for many thousands of people, who watched the flames from every possible place of advantage. Members of the Fire Brigade supplemented by voluntary assistants and a detachment of men from H.M.S. Dunedin, fought the conflagration unceasingly, but from the start their task was a hopeless one. Not until after two o’clock were the flames definitely under control, and at mid-day to-day debris in the destroyed buildings was still smouldering. INSURANCES AND LOSSES. A meeting of the Underwriters’ Association was held on Tuesday, at' which it was discovered that tho total amount insured was £126,350, while the estimated losses beyond insurance were roughly estimated at about £IOO,OOO, possibly more, so that the damage caused by the conflagration was in the neighbourhood of a quarter of a million sterling. The following is a complete list of all premises upon which claims for damages slight or otherwise are likely to arise, and the amounts for which premises or contents were insured:—

Main Fruit Exchange (building), £32,000. Thompson Bros., Ltd. (contents, fittings and stock)-£32,-500. Laery and (Co., Ltd. (stock) £10,500. Tolan Printing Company (contents), £1950. George; Thomas and Co., £6OOO. Brown Bros, and Corliss (stock), £2OOO. Johnson and Eglin, £3900. Griffin, Savage, and Co., £7200. Open Warehouse, £3OOO. Toop and Neilson, £3OOO. Harrisons and Ramsay, £2OOO. Buckland and Co., £IOO. Keane, Ltd., £3OO. M’Leod and Co., £4OO. Welton and Co., £l5O. Dunsheath and Co., £650. Down to this point the losses are believed to be total. The extent of loss in the following is not definite: —Goldingham and Becikett, Ltd., building £BOOO, contents £BOOO.

W. Burbidge and Co., buildings and contents, £2IOO. New Zealand Platers, Ltd., stock and plant £IOOO. Union Clothing Company, £IOO. Post and Telegraph Department (material), £l5O. W. H. Bray, £I2OO. J. Bowie, £SOO. Tea-, gle, Smith and Sons., Ltd., were insured but the amount is not yet available. The premises affected were as follows: Blair Street: — W. Burbidge and Co (corner Blair and Wakefield Streets), fruit auctioneers and produce merchants; contents damaged slightly by water. W. H<, Dray, waterproof and clothing manufacturer, top floor Burbidge’s buildings; between £SOO and £6OO worth of stock damaged by smoke and water. New Zealand Platers, Ltd., electroplaters and manufacturers, first floor Burbidge’s buildings; stock slightly damaged by water. Hayward Bros, and Co., Ltd., rubber and oil merchants, first floor Burbidge’s building; stock slightly damaged by water. Thompson Bros., Ltd., fruit auctioneers and general merchants, 8-20; completely gutted. Tolan Printing Co., printers, bookbinders, etc., 22-24; completely gutted. Open Warehouse Co., crockery and fancy goods importers, 22-24; completely gutted. Toop and Neilson, Ltd., tea and general merchants, 24; completely gutted. Premises occupied by G. Halstead, agent, also suffered. Allen StreetLaery, (Beveridge, and |Co., Ltd., wine, spirit, and tobacco merchants (Victoria Buildings) ; damaged. Laery and Co., fruit auctioneers, produce, and general merchants, 1.17, gutted. Campbell and Sons, carriers, basement Laery’s Buildings; destroyed. Johnson and Eglin, manufacturers’ agents, top floor, Laery’s buildings; destroyed. Griffin, Savage, and Co., Ltd., manufacturers’ representatives, top floor, Laery’s buildings; destroyed. George Thomas and Co., auctioneers and general merchants, 9.11, gutted. Browne Bros., and Geddes, Ltd., wholesale manufacturing confectioners; gutted. Wakefield Street: — Goldingham and Beckett, Ltd., general merchants, 276; stock suffered from smoke and water. Teagle, Smith and Sons., Ltd., motor accessory and general merchants, 276-278; gutted. It is believed that the fire must have started either in the basement of Thompson Bros.’ building, where a quantity of inflammable goods were stored, or on the first floor, where a number of light wooden cases were stacked; but the real cause will probably never be determined.