FIRE IN GLOUCESTER-STREET FAST.

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 101, 4 December 1878, Page 3

FIRE IN GLOUCESTER-STREET FAST.

The ‘ Press’ of Monday has the following account of the fire;—Shortly before live o’c oi k yesterday afternoon the firehels rang an alarm, and dense volumes of smoke '-ere seen to he e-mt of t: e city, towards which a large crowd of persons at < nc.-“ proceeded. J b a- fmmd that ti e kcrosen store of Messrs Tvv 'Olyman and Cousin was ou ifie, and as t' e flames I har t ont it was apparent from the lir-fc | that anv hone of xtinguisliing them l>y the ai<l of the lire e gin; would be. futile. Snperiut •’.ident Ha iris and a la rg: body of the Fire Brigade and lire police were speedily'on the spot, and a detach mei t of constables from 1b" depot. The ‘ Extinguisher was uiamvd a id taken to t e lire, but so thoroug ly had the fire taken a hold that it was at once apparent it must burn itself out, as water would only have the effect of Heating the burning oil about, and so possibly communicate the lire to the hedges. The fh>t alarm was given at the Cuester-street station by a lad named James Jardon, residing in the cottage next the keros ne store. The store contained between 300 and 400 cases of kerosene and 25 of turpentine, and when it is remembered that each case holds four gallons of kerosene, it will be seen that, until all this inflammaVe material was exhausted, the lire would be inextinguishable. A dense crowd of spectators was soon collected. The fire was confined to an area of about 100 ft. in circumference, and burnt with such intensity that any near approach to it was impossible. The cases, which as (he building gradually collapsed could be seen, were piled many feet high, and as they almost melted in the intense heat, the tins of kerosene were ignited with astonishing rapidity. When they burst with the heat, cascades of variegated fire were poured down, sending out showers of sparks resembling a grand pyrotechnic display. The iron building shrivelled up gradually like parchment, burning with a vivid green ala re. There was at first some apprehension that the kerosene tins would explode, and the spectators kept at a respectful distance ; but as it was soon found that they merely burst without any great force, the crowd gradually approached nearer to the burning building, and formed a ring in the paddock were it stood. One great peculiarity was the dense volume of smoke thigod with a lurid glare that wreathed in a solid spiral column and spread over the city. Various methods were suggested of cheeking the flames, and about 8 p.m., Superintendent Harris hit upon the expedient of two gangs of men drawing a length of fencing wire through the compa t stacks of eases. The stacks were thus brought to the ground, when the cases burst more speedily, and more quickly burnt themselves out. Considering the limited space the fire occupied, the compact mass of flames was perfectly astonishing, and it was fortu-. nate there were no dwellings near enough to catch fire. The origin of the fire is not known, but it vvas supposed that it may have originated from the leakage from some of the tins saturating the dry grass outside the store, where it was known some boys had been smoking during the afternoon, and that either lighted matches or sparks from their pipes may have ignited the grass and so fired the building. Up to a late hour last night the fire was not extinguished, and a good many people ■'sfill femhined about to see the end.