Disastrous Fire at Dunedin. THREE MEN KILLED.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 189, 29 January 1887, Page 8

Disastrous Fire at Dunedin. THREE MEN KILLED.

Duneuik, Jan. 24. Shortly nfter one this afternoon a fire which assumed very larga proportion* broke out in the largo factory of ttie l>unedin Iron and Woodwaro Coi"p:uv\ The premise?, vthieh cover abo.it two acics of ground in a square block, and extending from Prirces'-street to Bond-street, having alao a third frontage t,o Manor street, were barnt down about ten years ago when belonging to tho Guthrie and Larnach Woodwaro Company. They wore then rebuilt on a much more extensive scale. the large furniture warehouse and offices being four stories high. The fire appears to have broken out clo«e to the engine-house, and apreading rapidly throUfeb tho highly inflammable material in the factory, which was full of all tho latest and improved machinery, 3oon had everything there in ruins, and after burning about hilf an hour the walla fell with a fearful crash into the street. The Fire Brigade 'were working hard to copa with the body of flames, which were fentful, in tho centre of the buildng, and as there waa a stout brick wall between the offices and factory, it was thought, they might save the latter. But the flames gained, as the building ■was so extensive that very littlo water could ba got to reach the centre, where a large fire wa? racing. The wind had carried the fire away from the direction of tho enginehouse, where it fust started, but when it caught hold of the officea the ft imea worked their way back again to Bond-street frontage. "Water was poured on to tho fire steadily, and a largo quantity of furniture was removed from the showrooms and warehouse, but as most of it was lowered by ropsg from the windows it feufforad severely . There wag a tremendous ciowd present, and a3 un alarm of powder boing on the premises was raised, they \>ero running about wildly, although never interfering with sal vago work. There *i as a considerable qj'mtity of cartidgo? in the build ing, and the?e could be heard popping off in a regular fu3ilade, but the roar of the fire and the falling roof aixl wails drowned it. Two or three heavy explosions of ponder took place, but did no damage. How the firs originated 1p a mystery, Thore is a nighr watchman, but he i 3 not on duty on Sunday during tho daytime, but as he left everything' 5 ,fe about eight o'clock thi3 morning, ife is diliicult to account for the fire starting where and v. hen it did. Tho 1033 b estimated at fully £130,000, of which about £95,000 i 3 covered by every company doing business hoie. All 3ort3 of wild rumours were current a* to firemen being injured whan the walls kept frilling, but so far as could bo ascertained only one was hurt, lireman McFarlane, who had hid leg broken. Severn) others received severe cuts, wounds and bruises by failing glass, timber, &c , but they kept haid at -work. It was with some difficulty the fire was kept from jumping across Princos=«itreet, but the buildings there were kapt soaked w ith water. There is no dangar of the fire, extending now unless a fierce gale springs up, but it will burn for many hours yet. It i« almost csitain that lea? of life ha 3 occurred. When the staircase at the bad: of the furniture department foil theie were a number of people in the building. and a* least; four of them were pinned by tho falling: debit's, and it has been fjund impossible to eat them our. There are torn of iLbris on the top of the material above these persons, who aro still alive. Supei human efforts are being made to rescue thorn, and it is possible they may be got out alive. Dr. Brown is cloee to young Esquilant, \tho ha? piteously requested him to give him chloroform, or in Borne other way put him out of his misery. Mr Hendeieon, the manager, was nsav the spot when tho stair 3 toll, and narrowly escaped. Midnight. Two of tho=e buried wore reacuad alive and two dead. It; appears that when the firßt fall took place one man named Wallace, a seafaring man, was buriod up tho waist A number were engaged trying to r<vcuo him by prizing up tho things covering him ■when the whole two iloors above gave ■way and pinned three more. One was A. Miller, a carter in the employ of the company : the other waa E. Esquilant, a young man who i* tho son of a bookbinder in Dune r Jin ; and the fourth is unknown. It took a tew hours, bard work among the great h^nt and ?moke betoro the bodies weie recovered Esquilant and Wallace were alive : Miller and the other two v/ero dead. Wallace died about half-piat ten, Hs was a sailor on board the chip Waimarp, and was 27 year 3 of age. Epcjuillant died a few minute? afterwards. iJrs. Brown, Ferguson, and Melntyre (rimarn)i were on the scene for rive hours, to reader service. In a dangerou? petition they somu.iet<"r--d chloroform to Esquilant atid Wallace. The men and the doctors who were woxking to relieve them did so at the peril ot their live=. and the v.-iy they all worked vrim admirable 'the lire is still burning a« ly, and will do ?o for days. Tho furniture warehouse ia still standing, but i- 5 gutted, j