SERIOUS FIRE AT NAPIER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4321, 17 January 1893, Page 3

SERIOUS FIRE AT NAPIER.

£B,OOO Damages,

[By Telegrupb.-Prcss Association.]

Napier, January 16,

A seriiiusfiro broke out'botween six and seven o'clock this evening in Sidoy and Lockie's largo ironmongery jtore in Hastings street. The firemen wot ked .splendidly, but were unable to get near the fire owing to the dense smoke caused by soveral tons of binder twine, and for a time there was great danger of tho firo extending to tlio Masonic Hotel and National Bank. Fortunately thero was no wind, and after a hard fight of two hours the fire was got under, and confined to the promises iojwhicli it originated, The building was gutted, and all tho stuck, valued at about £BOOO, practically destroyed, as tho water spoiled what was not burned. The origin of tho firo is a mystery. Locsio left tho store about half an hour before the alarm was given, and Sidey five minutes later.evory thing then being apparently all right, Considerable alarm was felt lest the powder and dynamite stored in tho building should explode, Some detonators did explode, shatter, ing part of tho building, and slightly injuring several liremen. Insurances on tho building:—National, £300; South British, £7OO (of which £.150 is re-insured in thoPhceniX|Northern, and Standard). Stock £5450, divided asfollows:—Commercial Union,£2oo; Royal, £600; Liverpool.London, and laiobe, £250; North German, £2OO, Sun, £300; London and Lancashire £SOO, and South British, £3,400. Of the latter only £SOO is held, tho remainder being reinsured in tho Pkcenix, Standard, Sun, North British and Mercantile, Northern, Norwich Union and Commercial.