DESTRUCTIVE FIRE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 286, 30 May 1912, Page 5

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE

FIREMEN INJURED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunediri, Last Night. A destructive Are occurred here shortly after 9 o'clock to-night, by which the premises of Messrs. Nimm'o and Blair, seed and grain merchants, suffered extensive damage. The building was a three-storey one, and the fire seemed to originate in the rear of the third storey. It spread rapidly, how, ever, and soon the whole floor, with a frontage of some 100 ft to Lower High street, was a mass of flames. On this floor was stored a stock of seeds and some agricultural machinery, and fed by the former the fire gained enormously, and dense clouds of smoke and long tongues of flame rose high into the air, while on the pavement beneath the crash of broken glass from the windows sounded at frequent intervals. The Fire Brigade received a call at Ave minutes past nine, and having only a short distance to go were speedily on the scene with fire-fighting appliances. The ladders were run up against the wall, and the -firemen started to mount them, hose in hand. One of them, a new ladder, with three men on it, broke in the middle, and all were precipitated to the pavement below. Fireman Baxter sustained a broken leg and Fireman Murray also received some injuries. These were the only accidents in connection with the fire. A fresh ladder was soon rigged up, and from this, as well as from a new escape ladder, the firemen were soon pouring powerful jets of water upon the flames, which by this time were threatening the second 'storey of the building. Two leads were alsocarried to the rear from Macandrew street, and played upon the flames from good positions, with excellent effect. It was largely owing to the work done in this quarter that the adjoining buildings were saved from catching fire, while the entire absence of wind was also in favor of getting the flames quickly subdued. In the most southern corner of the' building, where the fire was burnm? very fiercely, over fiOOO corn sacks were! stored. On the second floor fie agri- j cultural seeds were extensively damaged by fire and by water. B\- 10.301 the fire was practically subdued. The 1 insurances are not available to-night. I