MORNING BLAZE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 April 1940, Page 5

MORNING BLAZE

OUTBREAK IN WELLINGTON SERIOUS DAMAGE TO FACTORY BUILDING. BRIGADE DOES EFFECTIVE WORK. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Considerable damage was done Io Siiminer’s Building, in Cable Street, by a fire early this morning. The top floor, occupied by Messrs Schncideinan and Sons, inanul'aetiiring tailors, as a workroom, was gutted and severe damage was done io Messrs Turnbull and Jones workshop, on part of the floor below. Other sections of the building suffered from the effects of the great quantity of water used to suppress the flames. When the alarm was received, at 2.35, a glow ’oulcl be seen from the Central Fire Brigade and a brigade call was issued. Engines were quickly on the scene and many leads of hose run out, the fire being attacked on all sides. So strong had been the hold, however, before the alarm was given, that a large part of the roof fell in and part of the top floor gave way under the heavy pressing of machinery, but well inside an hour there was no sign of a flame. Extensive use was made of tarpaulins to cover stock from water. Some leads were taken through Austin House and a good deal of water escaped here, most of it lying in the furniture storeroom of Kenners, Ltd., but the furniture itself appeared to escape damage. Some water also penetrated into the part of the building used by "New Zealand Truth,' but did no damage. In addition to the loss of clothing made up, articles in the course of manufacture and stocks, Schneideman’s lost heavily through loss of machinery and hundreds of patterns, described as irreplaceable. A member of the firm said the fire also would have a serious effect on the carrying out of orders for military uniforms. A great deal of the fire was concentrated in part of the middle floor occupied by Messrs Turnbull and Jones, on to which the floor above gave way. Tile ground floor is occupied by Fabers Furnishing Company. Ltd., and Messrs A. G. Healing and Co., cycle and motor importers. The building is owned by Mr E. A. Summers, of Christchurch, and Schneidemans have been tenants since the first part was erected in 1923.