THE BELFAST FIRE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8375, 8 March 1907, Page 5

THE BELFAST FIRE.

By Telegraph—Press Association. CHRISTGHURCH, March 7.

The effects of the .fire at Belfast, which destroyed the brick building 1 that accommodated the wool department, are more readily recognised to-day. The main portion of the building was totally destroyed, including a quantity of valuable machinery. The buildings destroyed we/e solidly built of brick, and the lower one, in which a large quantity of wool was Stored, was not so much burned as damaged by the fall of the adjacent brick wall. This struck the wall in the lower building, and the gable fell in, shattering the heaviest beams, while an adjacent gable and outer wall of the building was bodily shifted by the crash, the wall, although not falling, having a great fissure in it. The brick walls where the fire burnt the fiercest were bodily broken, the top part falling away, and what is left standing is very dangerous. The fire brigade of the Works did good service and combined with the City and Railway Brigades and saved the fat-house (a wooden structure) adjoining! the burning building. The fat-house was alight several times, and spreading from there the fire would have jeopardised the whole of the works. Salvage clearing work was commenced immediately, and a new building will probably be put' in hand. The loss will not seriously interfere with freezing, affecting only the wool and some of the by-products.