FIRE IN QUEEN STREET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8492, 22 July 1907, Page 5

FIRE IN QUEEN STREET.

• B&SSXmSB PREMISES DftS^EOYED. About 12/25 sf'glock, on Sunday \ morning, a firs Jbrojcs out in a block of wooden build Sags, situated at the ■ northern end of Q,y®M Street. The fire was discoy-ered in its incipient stages by Constables Townsend and Gregor, and a few residents who happened to be near the locality when the outbreak occurred. The constables roused ■ the inmates of Messrs Wacker and Thomas' boot shop, where the fire broke out, and were able to rescue some of the property in the shop while the alarm wag being given. Mr Wacker and a bof, who were sleeping in a room above the sh'op, escaped by means of the verandah. When the Fire Brigade arrived on the spot the flames had burst through to the front of the boot shop and had spread to the premises of Mr C. Young, tobacconist, Jt was then ascertained that Mrs Rebay and a young girl were in the upstairs portion of Mr A. Rebay's shop. The flames had commenced to spread in the direction of Mr Rebay's shop. Constable Townsend and Mr B. Whitton climbed to the top of the verandah and made their way through the thick smoke to the window of the room where Mrs» Rebay and the girl were, only to find that they had made good their escape down the staircase and out into the street. Captain Jenkins had five branches turned on to the flames, and though the firemen worked energetically, over an hour elapsed before they had the flames sufficiently subdued to ensure ib.3 safety of the adjoining shops. The Faroes confined themselves principally to the southern portion of the block, but while the firemen were engaged at-that end, the fire burst through into the upper portion of Mr A. Kebay's shop and along the lop of Mr A. R. Maltby's shooting gallery and restaurant. The Fire Police, under Captain J. Dixon, were busily engaged during the fire in salvage work, and secured as much of the stock from the shops as possible.' In his billiard room at the rear of Messrs Wacker and Thomas' shop, Mr J. Thompson had three billiard tables, but these were not damaged, though they were in danger of being destroyed. Mr Thompson managed tq get into the room, and while the flames were raging around the ceiling- he unscrewed the cushions off two of the tables. He covered the tables with linoleum from the floor. With assistance, he was able to carry the cushions and a quantity of fittings out of the building When the flames had been overcome, it was found that the shops occupied by Mr C. Young and Messrs Wacker and Thomas had been completely gutted. The upstairs portion oi Mr Rebay's premises was burnt, but not much damage was done to the ground floor. Mr Maltby's restaurant was untouched by the flames, but the upper part of the shooting gallery was burnt. Messrs Wacker and Thomas are the heaviest losers. The stock, which was all new, was uninsured, and they estimate their loss at about £2OO. Mr Young estimates his loss at about £7O. With regard to the insurance on his stock, he states that his predecessor had the stock insured, but Mr Young is unable to say whether the policy was transferred to him. The ceiling was the only portion of the billiard room that was burnt. The billiard tables were insured for £290. Mr Rebay puts his loss down at about £7O, and Mr Maltby estimates that he has suffered to the extent of about £IOO. The whole of the buildings are valued T.i about £2,000. That part of the block occupied by Messrs Young, Wacker and Thomas, and Rebay is owned by Mr C. G. Monro, and was insured for £750. The building occupied by Mr Maltby belongs to Mr F. Holloway. It is covered by a policy for £350. Mr Wacker states that he saved a number of pairs of boots from his shop and placed them on the road. They were removed, and he has not yet recovered them. In answer to this allegation, Captain Dixon, of the Fire Police, states that he only saw a few pairs of boots on the road, and these he ordered to be placed with the rest of the salvage stock, which was in charge of one of the Fire Police.

CABLE NEWS.

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