AN AUCKLAND BLAZE.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1915, Page 4

AN AUCKLAND BLAZE.

IX ToXSnX AN!) CAIiLICK'S ]'U HMISKS. CKKAT DAMACIC DUNK. By Telograpli.—Press Association. Auckland, .Inly 11. Hamass' approximating .Clireio «•»< done by a tire wliirli broke out •.ir■ (in Saturday evening ill the trianmilar block of buildings near the Town Mail, between Lome, Rutland, ami Wellcsley Streets. Tin. lire originated in ilie three-storey furniture factury in l.uri.e Street occupiid by the Tonson (.'aiTrk Company, and had ;i very good hn.d liel'ore the brigade arrived. .Soon after tin- lirenu n l>e-.;an to po «r water into the mass of ilame thi k water main in tin l vicinity bur.it, and tit water pressure decreased to Midi an extent that the hose could nut throw i it much beyond tin- second sturex. It is thought probable that thi* aiinw.d the lire to spread moiv readily, via 111 * adjoining back premises, to IMannnei Hrotlhm'.s 1 three storey hut factory, in Rutland Stmt. The firemen attacked it luiv a«rain, and succeeded in confining it to the toj> storey, though the stock and plant in the .lower Hats were damaged by water. The iircmcit also extinguished the lire as it was netting a hold on the back of one uf Ihe Technical School buildings adjoining the lui factorw Then, however, the ihmes were lionnl to have spread in the opposite direction to a three-storey building next to the furniture factory in Lome Sire.;, and had secured a strong bold in the secoi.d storey, used m an adjunct to (Mummer Jiros; hat factory. Chemicals and oils v.are apparently stored her-. Tor the lire burned with Lircat iiilm-div, but the firemen newrtiteicss saved a la ,- j.';e motor <jara.u'e on the ground floor, owned by (I. \Y. The last of about CIO,DUO worth of private c;t'Vi had been removed only a few miuul'S before the lire broke out. The third •loor was unoccupied.

Meantime the inmates of the Sal. \ation Armv's People's Palace and tic Y.W.C.A., in Welleslcy Street. the backs of whose premises ran into the middle of the affected block, were making a hurried e.xit with their goods and chat leis, and a willing crowd began to carry out the furniture. The hack windows of these premises were broken by the heat, but by this time the file was under control, and did not spread further.

The lire was a magnificent spectacle, the ikmes shooting liifjli and masses of gigantic sparks bein<; carried over 111 0 adjacent buildings and Albert I'ark by a fairly strong wind. Iln;;c crowds i'ii'i!"cf.( (1. The lire burned for about an hour ami a. half. Its origin in unknown. liiMinmctM are:—Tonson and f.'arlick (ofiices nnkliowu), machinery CB!IH>, buildings C:!(i()0. I'liiminer liros.' Kiit• land Street plant, in the (Umrdian llfliie for C-Ool), in the Commercial I,'nion

i. 1011, in the Liverpool, London and (llobe for CiOllO. The plant in the Lome Street premises was insured in tiie Liverpool, London and (ilobe Offi.'e for .C 1250. Plununer's premises in Hutland S'treet are owned by the Instate i.f late \\\ Crowther, and were insured for iJIIHX) in the South British Oflice. The premises in Lome Street, similarly own- • ;1 were insured for .C 2500 in tin l Soui'.i Uritish. Mr. Spras;;' bud CKulii insurance, in the South British Oliiee, on his stock, which was practically undamaged.