DISASTROUS FIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 176, 18 August 1909, Page 3

DISASTROUS FIRES.

THE STRAND ARCADE CONFLAGRATION. ADDITIONAL LOSSES. SEVERAL MEN INJURED. HEAVY INSURANCE LOSSES. By Telegraph.— Press Association. Auckland, August 17. The fire in the Strand Arcade broke out with renewed vigor at 11> p.m. A heavy Ml of masonry completely closed the passage of the Arcade, but a deluge of water soon let a mass of blackened ruins. This morning nothing but bare walls remain. •The fire was responsible for numerous accidents, which in two cases required treatment it the hospital. Thomas McPheraon, who in the early staige of the fire rescued a man from a perilous position by pulling him on to an adjoining roof at great personal risk, at a later stage, while assisting the fire brigade, had to jump from a falling wall. He Ms carried out from the debris, burned and. bleeding, and removed to the hospital. His conduct is described as heroic, and he had the satisfaction of saving one man's life. Burt O'Sullivan, who was also assisting the brigade, was also removed to the hospital with an injured knee and slight abrasions on the head. Three workmen named Neil Howell, John Brown, and Charles Lipwood, while engaged removing a safe from the Arcade fire ruins this afternoon, were struck by a falling brick wall, all receiving injuries. Howell is apparently seriously injured. All three were conveyed to the hospital. So far as is known the following is a list of the tenants in the Stand Arcade;—

First storey.—Strand Cafe (W. and A. Prior, managers); David Palmer, tailor; Strand Book Arcade, booksellers, stationers, leather and fancy goods warehousemen; Miss F. Teutenberg, art needleworker; Mts. J. S. Arthur, registry office; J. M. Dewar, medical specialist; 0. Dourwess, sanitary cabinet company; F. Dyer and Co., ladies' tailors; British and Continental Company (A. Hegman, manager); Misses Waugh and Walker, milliners; George Gregory, photographer; Mrs. Bimis, toilet rooms; P. B. Hume, hairdresser; E. 0. Von Sturmer, eyesight specialist; Lauritz Henriksen, watchmaker; Post and Telegraph Office; Lethaby, umbrella importer and repairer. |

Second storey.—Campbell and Ehrenfried, wine and spirit merchants, etc.; Leonard and Harrison, manufacturers' agents, etc.; H. Bunting, indent agent; Piccadilly Tea Rooms; Mrs. Danby, registry office.

Third storey.—'E. J. Gavey, manufacturers' agent; Henry Bull and Co., Ltd., importers and warehousemen (represented by Frank Marsden); Paterson, Laing and Bruce Proprietary, Ltd., warehousemen and manufacturers;" Thomas |5. Whitton, (p<jeountant; : Thomas Mitchell, manufacturers' agent; J. W. Shackleford, manufacturers' , agent; Auckland Technical College class room. Fourth storey.—Sarony Studio; John Derbyshire, indent agent; Edward Crouch, indent agent; B. C. Chidwell, architect; James Wadham, caretaker of the building.

The insurances on the Strand Arcade building totalled £17,000. Of this £7OOO was held in the New Zealand office, the remaining £IO,OOO being distributed amongst the Alliance, Atlas, Northern, Guardian, and Australian Alliance offices.

The Thistle Hotel, the owner of which is Mr. P. Darby, was insured, but the insurances are not available. It is understood the Strand Arcade is neavily reinsured. The London and Royal held risks on stock as follows:—Walter Darbv, £3100; Shelton and Frostick, £1500; Crouch, £150; Hume, £100; W. Liddell and Co., £OOO. The National held lines on stocks as under:—P. M. Dewar, £400; H. L. Henricksen, £100; B. C. Chilwell, £100; Walter Darby had £OOOO to £7OOO on stock, which was saved by having iron shutters. Some of it was injured in removal. The Standard had £IOOO on Lefhaby's stock.

The London, Liverpool and Globe and North British held a risk over Leonard and Harrison's stock.

The Messrs. Prior, of the Strand Cafe, who had £350 in the Norwich, estimate their loss at £OSO above this. The licensee of the Albert Hotel, Mr. P. J. Delaney, estimates lis damages at £I2OO.

TOTAL DAMAGE £60,000. Auckland, Last Sight. * As far as could be ascertained to-day from careful investigations', the total amount of the damage l>y last niglit's fire wilt probably prove to be in the neighborhood of" £GO,OOO. The chief damage done, of course, was to the Strand Arcade itself. This may be put down at about £30,000. The other principal losses were:—British and Continental Piano Co., £4OOO or £5000; Thomas Mitchell (agent for Bowen Bros., Christehurcli), £4500; Leonard and Harrison, £2500; Strand Cafe, £1000; Albert Hotel, £1000; Thistle Hotel, £1500; Crouch, £1000; D. .Palmer £2500.

/CONDITION OF THE INJURED. WOMAN REPORTED TO HAVE PERISHED. Auckland, Last Night. Neil Howell, John Brown and Charles' Lapwood were injured this afternoon while working among the Strand Arcade ruins as a result of the collapse of one of the walls. Howell is in a critical condition. : Reports are current that a woman was seen in the top storey of the Arcade while the fire was burning, crying for help and making frantic efforts to escape, but, so far ,no one is reported missing. RONA BAY HOUSE DESTROYED. Wellington, August 17. The "Rona Bay House, a private hotel containing about 10 rooms, erected at Rona Bay about five years ago, was totally destroyed by fire this morning at an early hour. The building was insured in the Norwich Union for £ISOO, and the contents in the Australian Alliance for £670.