FIRE IN DEVON-STREET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 58, 9 March 1903, Page 3

FIRE IN DEVON-STREET.

ORIGIN A MYSTERY. j A few minutes before midnight on Sunday the drapery premises ot Mr. jOhas. Ward, clcse to the Bank of New J South Wales, were found to be in | flames. The parson who ran to the | Fire Station to give the alarm sang out |as he passed the Daily News Office, and the were promptly on the spot, and sfer breaking in the shop door did excellent work in removing a large quantity of irflimmable goods from the immeditte vicinity of the] flames, which had then (fleeted an entrance through the back window and weie fast laying hold of the interior, Very sosn the Brigade arrived and commenced operations with a will, j There was a good pressure of water, aod as the hose was operated from the passage at the fids of the Bank and the j righ f -of-way adjoining Mr. Gold water's, the fhmes were speedily got undtr. The chief difficulty was in dealing wi'h the store shed at the rear of the shop, in which there weie several cases of goodß newly arrivrd from London, some of which contained fare and other valuable material. However, before long all danger was at an end and the fire was completely ex'irguished. To all appearand s the cuibreak j oiiginated either in the shed or among some rubbish between tte shed and the m.in building. It s cms hardly lik?!y that it could rave em.'uldeied for loug without being detected by s"me of Mr. MaeDi-trinid's family. When first discovtred the flame* were very bright, and at firs'; it was thought thai Mtsers Bellringtr's premises w> re alight, but fortunately this w«s not tl o caße. It is difficult to account for th > way in (which the fire originated, find as sever 4 small outbreaks have already occurred in the same locality there are s"iong gounds for a searching itquirv into the matter. The spot is one of tho most dangerous in town for a fire to occur, and the open approach to th-> back of the premises, where so mui-h rubbish andimfUmmaMe material is to be found, is a manacs to the town. The shed at the back and ion tents were gutted, but the damage to the stock was not great, and wae due chiefly to water. The building is insured in the Royal, andjthe ccntents in the New Zealand. The fire could not have happened at a worse time so far as the Brigade is concerned, as about 12 of the men are attending tho demonstration at Napier. It is greatly to the credit of the other members that they so promptly and successfully c >ped with the outbreak. Fireman Moverley unfortunately got overcome with the smoke, but. was got out and quickly r.'covered, He, however, had the misfortune to jam some of his finger*.