ANOTHER FIRE. Outbreak in Messra T. and H. Cooke's Furniture Factory. From the " Auckland Star," May 24 )

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 52, 31 May 1884, Page 6

ANOTHER FIRE. Outbreak in Messra T. and H. Cooke's Furniture Factory. From the " Auckland Star," May 24 )

An alarm of fire was raised at the exceptionally early hour of 5.40 p.m. yesterday. Town was thronged at the time with people on their way home from business, and an immense orowd of people consequently collected in the vicinity of Elliott-street, from which dense volumes of smoke were ascending. It was found that the fire was raging in the basement of the three-story brick workshop situated at the rear of Messrs T. & H. Cooke's Victoriastreet warehouse. The Fire Brigade and Salvage Corps had their appai-atus on the ground within a few minutes of the first alarm. Leads of hose were carried through the Theatre Royal right of way, and copious jets of water were also directed into the basement by the i*emoval of the street gratings. Nothing of the progress of the conflagration could be seen irom the outside. The fire was confined within four staunch brick walls, and there was no danger of it extending so long as the supply of water did not fail. The interior of the basement was completely deluged by the constant stream of water from the various leads of hose, but it was some considerable time before there was any appreciable effect. Tho firemen followed up each advantage rapidly and systematically. At one period the fire had communicated with tho first floor, but the flames in this department were extinguished before they had caused any really serious damage. It was observed at another time that the draught had carried tho flames up the lift, causing the ignition J of the roof, but danger from this direction was also soon averted. The fire raged in the basement until nearly half-past seven, when it may be said to have been practically extinguished. Precautions were taken to prevent its spread, and the last expiring embers wero carefully extinguished. An accident happened to Superintendent Hughes during the progress of the fire, some broken glass striking his hand in falling and causing a flesh wound.

Discovery of the Fire. The origin of the fire is enshrouded in complete mystery. No theory can be advanced to account for it unless it be that of ispontaneous combustion. The workmen left the factory at five o'clock as usual, and the storeman and packer, Daniel Townshend, with a boy named William Franklin or Brown, remained. Mr H. Gooke also left for his homo in Grafton Road at five o'clock. Mr T. Cooke, who resides at Ponsonby, was in the shop at 5.30 pin, At a quarter to five he went through the basement, and did not smell fire, while half-an-hour later he had occasion to go on to the first floor to give some instructions to Townshend, and at that time there was nothing to arouse his suspicions. Tow nshend was engaged in packing some iurniture on the first floor of the factory, when he was alarmed by a strong smell of fire which appeared to porvade the place. Descending the stairs to the basement, he discovered that flames were proceeding from that portion of the apartment used as a mattrabs making and upholstery manufacturing room. The seat ot the fire appeared to be some straw in the corner. He ran upstairs us quickly as he could, and told Franklin, who was minding the .shop, to tell Mr Holdsworth, their next-door neighbour, to come in, and also to ring tho firebell. The other men who worked in the factory were George Irfitt and Peters. They had not been using fire during the day, and had not been smoking in the place. When they left, at five o'clock, there was no sign of fire.

Loss and Insurance. It is estimated that the loss through damage to machinery, factory, and stock will exceed £1,000. The woodwork of the basement story is badly charred, but the damage to the upper part of the factory itself is slight. The stock of mattrass materials, chair frames, etc., on the lower floor, has been destroyed, while some machinery is also destroyed. The factory building was insured in the New Zealand Office for £1,000, the gas engine for £250 in the Royal, and the factory machinery and stock for another £250 in the Iloyal. The gas engine is not seriously injured. Damage to the extent of about £200 was caused in the warehouse basement by the flow of water in there from the factory. The warehouse itself is insured in the New Zealand for £1,250, and the stock in the Royal for £2,200. Messrs Cooke are singularly unfortunate, in so far that their workshop has been on fire no less than three times, two outbreaks having occurred about three years ago in the building which they then occupied higher up Victoria-street.