FIRE IN LEVEN STREET.

Southland Times, Issue 1659, 8 November 1872, Page 2

FIRE IN LEVEN STREET.

About noon on Wednesday last, it was discovered that the stables belonging to Mr David Thompson, in Leven street, and occupied by Mr Pearce, were on fire. The alarm was promptly given from the fire-bell, and in a very few minutes a large crowd was collected on the spot. Several bystanders at once gave tbeir assistance to extinguish the flames by carrying water from the nearest available sources, and after some time the fire brigade appeared upon the scene with their engine and hose. It soon became evident that it was hopeless to attempt to save the building, and the energies of those present were directed to protecting the adjacent property, by means of pulling down fences, and the plentiful use of water, wet blankets, &c. Fortunately the wind, blowing from the south-west, was light, and with the exception of* slight damage to the roof of a akillion afc the back of the bouse in Spey street, lately occupied by Dt Monckton, the fire was confined to the building in which it originated. Mr Thompson was not insured. The origin of the fire is at present unknown. It was a subject of general remark that the management of the fire brigade was anything but satisfactory, the absence of organisation being very apparent. If the fire had occurred at night it is probable that it would not have been noticed for some time, and the consequences might have been Tery disastrous, as there are several valuable buildings, fronting Dee street, which, from their position to leeward of the conflagration, it might have been difficult to save. We would therefore take this opportunity of again urging upon the Government the necessity of providing an additional night watchman for the protection of the t«wn, which is much too large to be efficiently patrolled by a single constable. Aa inquest as to the cause of the fire will be held to-day, in the Prince of Wales Hotel, at 2 o'clock.