FIRE IN A SHOP.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 April 1921, Page 4

FIRE IN A SHOP.

THE BUILDING GUTTED. VALUABLE STOCK LOST. An alarm of fire was given from tin New Plymouth Central Fire Statioi shortly after eight o’clock last night the outbreak being in the premises o R. West and Sons, painters and paper hangers, Devon Street East. some defect in the ringing apparatus the bell did not respond till several minutes after the alarm was given at the station, a brigadesman having to climb the tower to ring the bell. This, however, did not affect the movements of the brigade at the station, only those members living at a distance being at a disadvantage. The brigade was promptly on the scene to find that the fire was burning fiercely, and at once it was seen that there was little hope of saving the building from being gutted or the contents from destruction. The building, a two-storied wooden structure, consisting of a shop with several lumber and store rooms at the rear and above, contained a quantity of wall-paper, pictures, etc., and these being highly inflammable mater* lais the fire quickly spread. The brigade, assisted by a good pressure oi water, worked willingly, but it was fully half an hour before the flames wer« suppressed, and then only, when the building had been completely gutted. Mr. West -states that the stock was valued at approximately £l5OO, practically all of which was destroyed eithei by fire or water. The insurances were in the Royal and United Offices and possibly elsewhere, but the figures were not available last night. Speaking to a Daily News representative, Mr. West stated that he left the premises at 5.30 o’clock in the evening, everything then appearing to be as-usu-al. He can give no reason for the origin of the fire, which appears to have started in the real lumber rooms. A gentleman who placed his car in the motor garage next door says that he saw no sign of the fire when he left the garage only a few minutes before the alarm was sounded.