Five Buildings Razed in Big Mercer Fire

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 218, 3 December 1927, Page 1

Five Buildings Razed in Big Mercer Fire

TOWN’S HEAVY LOSS

POST OFFICE DEMOLISHED

\fERCER suffered the heaviest A* fire damage in its history last evening, when five buildings were completely demolished by fire. The fire originated in the Post Ofece, which had been closed for the Bight, -and, burning fiercely for an hoar, aided by a change of wind, razed the post offic ■, a one-storied wooden building, the Railway Social Hall, a five-roomed house owned by Mr. J. Murray, of Pukekawa, and occupied by Mr. J. Barron, a fiveroomed house owned by the Post and Telegraph Department, and occupied py Mr. ’.V. Plough, a railwayman, and a wooden shed. Mr. C. F. Stevens, the postmaster, left his office at 5.15 p.m., when everything appeared to be in order, hut 15 minutes later the building was plazing. The only cause for the outbreak suggested is that of fusing wires. All the material in the post office was destroyed, except perhaps that Which had been put into the two safes. Most of the day’s mail had been cleared, and that remaining was a umall quantity from country districts. Apparatus, valuable records, and furniture were demolished. WIND AND NO WATER The wind then carried the fire into the house occupied by Mr. Plough, but the building only was destroyed, the large crowd of spectators saving practieelly all the contents. With the house went the shed adjoining. Then the wind changed and the fire zpread in the other direction, the railway hall being the next victim. Mercer having no water supply the ire-fighters had little chance, but a bucket brigade was organised, drawing from a pump in the Roose Shipping Company's timber mill. They eventually got the fire under control, when it had destroyed the other house, alongside the hall, from which the furniture had also been removed. While this house was burning the wind dropped and the fire made no further headway. Three chimneys rising above the smouldering runs, marked the site that, an hour before, had carried buildings typical of the wayside town. The fire had spread with amazing rapidity through the buildings, and though there were hundreds of workers available they could only save the small things and watch the flames eat down four large buildings. The Barron family was accommodated in the stationmaster’a bouse, and the Plough family went to Frankton. Mr. Plough was fortunate In having his belongings saved, as they were uninsured. POST OFFICE WORKING AGAIN This morning the post office reported “Business as usual,” with the exception that the telephone subscribers will be out of action until Monday or so. The office was opened at the railway station, and telegrams and mails were dealt with with some inconvenience but with commendable expedition. So far the safes have not been opened. One of them appears to be in good condition, but the other has not stood up to the fire so well.