BIG FIRE AT TIMARU.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9048, 6 February 1908, Page 6

BIG FIRE AT TIMARU.

LOSS ESTIMATED AT BETWEEN £70,000 AND £BO,OOO. BY TEI.KORAPII—PUKS ! ASSOCIATION. TIMARU, February 5. The biggest fire in Timaru since 1868 broke out at 5.40 this afternoon, in the town retail hDiise of the Farmers' Co operative Association —a large brick building facing Beswick Street and Strathallen Street. When first seen the fire had a hold in the linoleum and carpet rooms on the first floor, and spread with gn:at rapidity into the drapery department adjoining. The floor was crammed with drapery and such like inflammable material. In a very short time botli town and railway fire brigades had twelve leads of hose going, but it was soon seen that the large building and its valuable contents were doomed. The fire burnt fiercely for two hours, and practically only the bare walls were left standing at 8 p.m. It was a magnificent sight when the fire was at its height, and the explosions of cartridges and dynamite in the building created repeated panics among the dense crowd of people looking on. Fortunately the building stands slightly apart from the Royal Hotel and Reid and Gray's warehouse, and as the weather was calm the brigades had no difficulty in saving adjoining premises, there being a splendid supply of water. The bookswere saved, and a few lots of stock, such as saddlery, groceries, etc., but practically speaking, a clean sweep was made. The loss is estimated at £70,000 to £BO,OOO. There is an insurance of £45,500 on the stock and fittings, and £15,000 on the building. The offices interes!ed are the Royal Alliance, New Zealand Phoenix, Royal Exchange, National Farmers' Co-oper-ative, Norwich Union, Standard, Northern Assurance, North British (Queensland), South British.