FIRE IN GRACE'S BUILDINGS, WYNDHAMSTREET.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1662, 16 June 1875, Page 3

FIRE IN GRACE'S BUILDINGS, WYNDHAMSTREET.

At a few minutes after three this afternoon, smoke was seen issuing from between the shingles in the roof of the house occupied by G. Schmidt, tailor. The attention of passers by was arrested, and in a few minutes a large crowd was collected, the bell in the Exchange tower pealing forth an alarm. A number of persons hurried upstairs, and found that the smoke was proceeding from between the lining and the roof, the upper room being filled with smoke. Buckets of water were quickly passed from all (he premises adjoining, and from the rear, and the progress of the lire was effectually kepb in check till the arrival of a reel of hose, under charge of the Fire Brigade. Meantime sewing machines, each in charge of the owner, and various other articles were making their exit from tho establishment of W. Byland, ready closed upper manufacturer next door, and in the same building, while " ready-closed uppers " vied with half-made bretches in rapidity of departure to rapidly accumulating piles on the opposite side of the way. The alarm among the frightened girl machinists was quite affecting, though there wag no inconsiderable element of the ludicrous in the anxious selicitude with which each hugged her sewing machine as she fled from tbe scene. On the arrival of the fire brigade's hose, five or six minutes after the alarm, it was rapidly stretched to Queen-street, but .it was found unnecessary to use it, as the active efforts of the first at the fire had through the agency of buckets of water suppressed the fire. By and by the ready closed uppers, and the pantaloons, and the sewing machines recrossed the street much more leisurely than they had gone over, and shortly after half-past three the street had resumed almost its wonted appearance. THE CAUSE: Matches, wax matches, and a child. The child was left playing with the matches upstairs, and soon a crackling noise was heard, and our readers know the rest. The fire, as appeared from subsequent examination of the premises, had caught the canvass and paper-lining of one corner of the work room at the rear, and swept across the ceiling and down the other walls. The timber had not caught, but owing to the promptness of Constable James Axem and volunteer assistance, about the narrowest escape from a serious fire yet known in Auckland has been effected.