GREAT FIRE IN NEWCASTLE

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 19

GREAT FIRE IN NEWCASTLE

— ■♦ | DAMAGE £5200,000. FOUR MEN INJURED. | TRAMWAYS AND RAILWAYS BLOCKED. NEWCASTLE, January 20. One of the most disastrous fires in the history of the town broke out this morning in Cohen and- Co. 's large warehouse situated in a block of business premises bounded by Scott, Margaret, Hunter, and Wolffe streets. The -.whole '.block was ; more^or less damaged, ,the principal destruction''beingcaused by falling walls; Cohen's premises were -completely gutted. ■ Other ' premises severely are: Whortling's Hotel, the School* of Arts, Binsto Piano Warehouse, Kangaroo Coupon ""Company, Lasker Bros (taadora), NeveSs » Farrniture ' Warehouse, 'Stegga's (drapers), and a number of others slightly. The fire had a good hold when it wae discovered, and spread' with great rapidity. The whale of the brigades in the district were, engaged in fighting the flames, an<F by splendid efforts succeeded in preventing^ a general conflagration. At 1.15 p.m. thefire was well in hand. -„'" The debris blocked the tramway and main railway lines and disorganised the telephone system. Four men were injured by collapsing walls. A rough estimate of the damage ranges as high as £200,000. '-It is understood that this loss is largely covered by insurance. ' . • ? The origin of the fire in Cohen's building yesterday is a mystery. The firm is a Jewish one, and the premises, were closed for business since Friday evening. The warehouse was four storeyed, and was one of tne largest .and best equipped and most heavily stocked in the State. The stock was. valued at from JBiOO/000 to £120,000. At its height the fire was visible for . a distance of 20 miles. The stock included a large quantity of cartridges, which were stored in a magazine. When the flames reached them they kept up a feu de joie for half an 'hour. Fireman Rasmussen came iri contact with a, live electric wire, and was almost electrocuted. •He was removed to the hospital in a serious condition. Three men — Dougherty, Kirchener, and Crandle — were removing property from the School of Arts when a large macs of Cohen's wall collapsed, imprisoning them. They were rescued "in a quarter of an hour much cut and bruised, and taken to t!he -hospital. -^ The debris blocking the railway line prevented the train from conveying the •miners to the Lambton B pit, which was idle in consequence. The lines were cleared after some hours. «j».H l» I Mil I. 11l mm*.