FIRE AT LEVIN

THREE SHOPS DAMAGED

BURNING PAINT AND OIL

(From "The Post's" Representative.)

LEVIN, This Day.

Three shops in Oxford Street, the main thoroughfare, of . Levin, were damaged by a fire which engaged the attention of firemen for nearly three hours late last night and early this morning. The shops of H. Foley, painter and paperhanger, and of Fuen Key Leong, a Chinese fruiterer, were gutted, and that of W. Stannard, a bookseller, suffered fire and water damage to the extent of about £800.

It was the first fire for ten years in the shopping area of Levin, and although the brigadesmen were greatly assisted bj the town's excellent water supply they were handicapped by the fact that the burning buildings could no', be approached from the rear. It was not until about 2 a.m. that the blaze was subdued. The fire is believed to have started at about 11.45 p.m. in the back of Foley's shop, but the cause is not known. The:paint and oil in that shop provided a ready fuel for the flames, making the work of the firemen more dangerous than usual. One of them, J. Oak, was severely cut on the arm by broken glass.

A Press Association message from Levin says that damage done by the fire is estimated at £4000. The amount of the insurance on Foley's shop and stock is not available; he will be a heavy loser. Leong's stock was insured for £600 in the Liverpool, London, and Globe Office, and the shop was insured for £ 1000 in - the Royal Office. Stannard's stock was covered to the extent of £1500 by the Victoria Company.