FIRE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 13, 15 January 1872, Page 2

FIRE.

About 9 o'clock last night the alarm of fire was once again sounded, and on the inhabitants running out of their houses at the first tone of the bell, they at once saw from the glare that proceeded from the lower end of Trafalgar- street that on this occasion the alarm was not a false cue. The flames, which bad broken out in a small straw store iv the back yard beloDgibg to Mr. Warren, in Bridge-street, very soon spread to the adjoiniug stable — out of which the horses were speedily removed on the alarm first being given — and in a very short time the blaze was such as to light up whh the utmost clearness the whole of the surrounding streets. The members of the brigade soou began to muster, and the hose was taken from the lamp pillar, and at once commenced to play, while, in a few minutes, the tinkling of the bells announced the arrival of the reel from the engine house. In all, there were in a very short space of time three hoses at work, and these should have been sufficient to extinguish a far more formidable fire tban that, with which they had to deal, but scarcely had the water begun to play tban the ominous crack, to which we are getting too well accustomed on such occasions, was heard, and the swaying of the crowd announced that one of the hoses had burst as usual. Auother, and yet another followed, and quite as much water was running down the streets as was poured on the fire, and yet with only a half supply the flames were confined to the buildings in which they had broken out, and in a quarter-of-an-hour from the time of the alarm being given the members of the brigade were sweeping the burning embers out of the stable loft in which a quantity of hay had so recently been blazing, and the roof of which had been completely burnt away. A more dangerous locality it was impossible for a fire to have broken out in. About 20 feet in front of the stable which at one time was blazing with an alarming fierceness, are Mr. Potter's stables with their lofts filled with hay ; about ten feet from the end of it is the timber yard of Messrs. Curtis Brothers, while all around are a number of sheds and shanties that, after the long drought we have experienced, must be as inflammable as tinder, and yet on none of these is the mark of fire to be seen, all of them having been kept thoroughly moistened either by the brigade hoses or the smaller ones with which every house is now supplied. It was almost amusing to watch the coolness displayed by those living in the neighboring houses who, had such a fire occurred previous to the construction of the water works, would have • been buisily engaged in removing their chattels out of harm's way, but on this occasion no such anxiety was displayed, and all appeared to be so inspired with confidence in the efficiency of the Fire Brigade and the supply of water at their disposal that no alarm whatever was felt. But the frequent bursting of the hoses has taught us a lesson by which we should not fail to profit. With a most energetic brigade who are both able and willing to do the work required of them, and from long experience, are well acquainted with the best means of performing it, and with a plentiful supply of water conveyed through most of the streets in town and which can be tapped at any moment and almost at any spot, we are yet by no means as safe against the ravages of fire as might be supposed, simply because we neglect to provide the members of the brigade with the necessary implements. We have gone to the expense of carrying the water under our streets but have not taken the proper precautions to convey it to a burning house. The hoses now in use have been shown to be. utterly untrusworthy, and the funds at the disposal of the brigade are not sufficient to provide them with reliable ones. This is a matter in which the Insurance Offices and the public generally should bestir themselves. The Former were saved many thousands of pounds last night by the efforts of the brigade and the limited supply of water, that could be brought to bear upon the fire, and they surely might afford 1 to subscribe a little more than £55 a year towards the funds of a body of men who j

have already served them to such an extent. It is, however, a matter iv which the public are interested as well, and it remains for them to say whether they are willing to run such risk as they now do for the want of the few pounds that are necessary for the purchase of stronger and more reliable hoses than those now in use. Of the origin of the fire nothiug is known. Mr. Warren left his house between six and seven o'clock after haviDg previously visited the stable, and no one belonging to the establishment was known to go near it afterwards. An inquest is to be held this afternoon.