SENSATIONAL CONFLAGRATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 123, 2 June 1885, Page 2

SENSATIONAL CONFLAGRATION.

..arrow i-ecapn oi tlio juim...-... it has often been remarked that the occur- , rence of one fire in Auckland is generally i the precursor of several othor similar mis- ; fortunes, following each other in rapid succession. S resterday was no exception to tho rule. Tho day opened with the loss of i' 30,000 worth of properly at Owen and Graham's lire, and closed with the destruction of soveral shops in Victoria street, and a consequent comparatively heavy loss. Tho latter fire broke out nbout midnight, in tho centre of a block of eleven new woodon shops, extending from tho corner of Nelsonstreet towards Freeman's Boy, There is no doubt that tho fito originated in two shop" occupied as a drapery un-! eloii.im: ttoto l, y \Uc..trK n.'tre .'.mthei. .^ (ni the order given, «ei'u iho shop, oi Mi Sluncy (jeweller), Mr Son-era (tobacconist), Mr Cotter (cabinet-maker), Mr Young (confe.tioner), andMr Scutt(draper), whilo on the western side wero the shops of Mr Brown (fishmongor), Mr Mettnm (tinsmith), Mrs Crawley (grocer), and Mr Carr (bootmaker), Tho alarm was givon about midnight, and the night being calm and clear, a cloud of smoke and fiamo ascending to a considerable height gavo ample indication of tho direction of the fire. Arrival of the Brigade. When tlio Firo Brigade reached the ground, tho whole of tho interior of Dare's shop was one mass of ilame. Smoke poured out through tho upstairs windows and roof in dense volumes.whilo sheets of flame swept upward from the roof as well as from tho front windows. The spectacle was an imposing one, tho surrounding landscape for miles distant being lighted up with startling brilliancy. Tho task of tho Brigado was not by any means an easy ono. Two leads of hose wore connected with the hydrant at 00-ilvio's corner, and were started to play upon the front of the burning building. At the samo time Foreman Barley was sent to tho rear with a detachment of men, and an additional couple of leads cf hose were brought to bear upon that. side of the structure. Tho timber, how j ever, appeared to bo as dry as touchwood, ! and blazed so fiercely that for a time very little progress could be made towards the extinction of tho fire. Thus it was that the (lames continued to increaso their hold upon Slaney's on the one sido, and Brown's upon tho othor, and even when tho full pressure of water was brought to bear, ' thero did not appear to bo much prospect of saving cither of these places. Tho advantage thus gained by tho fiery 1 element was, however, a short lived one,

A Brave Fight.

Armod'with good appliances and a steady stream of water, however, Superintendent Hughes's men Boon waged war into tho camp of the enemy. Tho volumes of flamo pouring upward and extending on either side gave forth such intense heat that exposure to it was more painful than pleasant. Notwithstanding this fact, a branch was carried on to tho iron roof of Slaney's promises by the Messrs Finlay, and brought to play through one of Dare's front windows. Tho position was exposed and somewhat dangoroue, but encouraged by the cheers of the spectators, the plucky branchmen stuck to their position and rendered most effective sorvico with their water jet. Stimulated by this oxamplo, Branchmen McCabo and Smith took a lead on to Brown's verandah, where they were equally exposed, but thoy nevertheless did their duty fearlessly and well. After the Brigado had been about half an hour at work, the upper front of Dare's promises fell outwards, carrying the verandah with it. This gavo tho firemen a hotter opportunity to get at the seat of tho liro, and four jets of hoso wero instantly turned upon tho centre of tbo blazing ruins. Ever and anon tho liquid streams w.ro directed against tho sides of Brown's and Slaney's .hops. These nr.tnises hid pro vi iu-.lv* been i.. r.nsiderablc ihn-.gcr ..t total d. -■:.-..eii >~ but the plenliiulniw cf Ihe •.■-,.<01 supply :'-t:'i th. activity of the liremen prevented further damage than Ihe d-struetion of the i'GOl and the walls abutting on tho fire. From thiaperiod, the task ot tho Brigado was a comparatively easy ono. Water was poured on tho ruins until tho fire was extinguished, and an occasional shower of water over Iho ror.f extinguished any stray sparks. Some difticulty was experienced towards tho conclusion in extinguishing somo Humes between Cotter's and Son-era's buildings, but tho woodwork was ovontnally cut away so as to enable a jet of water to be directed tbrongh the aperture. Discovery of tho Fire, The fire was first discovered by a man i named Robert BuvreU a few minutes before | 12. Hia attention was attracted by .. glaro in Dare's shop, and on close inspection ho ! discovered that the place was on fire, the flames having already a good hold about i tho centre and towards the back of the building, Thoro were other persons in the street at the time, and ho called out to them. Soveral men responded, ami also n lad named Archer, who lives opposite. Archer at onco ran to the Fire Brigade Station, and gave tho alarm. Ho says that when ho left the scene of tho outbreak a number of men had climbed up the iron posts on to j tho verandahs ol buildings in tho block. They were rapping vigorously at tho | windows, and wero shouting loudly for the people to got up because tho place was on | fire. While he gavo the alarm at the station the Freeman's Bay bell rang out. Twenty minutes previously two of our reporters had passed on their way home, and then there l was not the slightest sign of fire.

Escape of tho Inmatca,

The inmates of all the buildings in the block, so far as we can learn,were asleep at tho timo of tho fire. They comprised sovoral families who resided in tho upstairs apartments, whilo their shops were in the lower stories. When suddenly aroused by cries of fire many of them became intonsoly alarmed, even in instancos .whero they stood in no immediate danger, and tho consequence was that several had narrow escapes from sustaining personal injury in the smoke or flames. Mothers became separated from their children, and from their husbands, aud it was some considerable time before tho unfortunates were satisfied of each other's safety. Some of tho inhabitants did not even pause to clothe themselves, and rushed frantically into the street clad in their "garb3of night," or sheltered by some loose wrap. The neighbours proved themselves real friends, nnd rose to tbe emergency in a most admirable spirit. The houseless ones were pressed on al! sides to take up a temporary abode in othor dwellings, and some well-disposed ladies wero bo eager to render aid that thero actually appeared to be a competition for who could prove the most hospitable. The result, however, was that ono or two little children got astray, and caused their parents intense anxiety. Notwithstanding the fact that his wife was dangerously ill, Mr Ogilvio offered tho Carre a home for the night, but they had previously arranged to go elsewhere. Ono lady was so overcome with tho shock that sho fainted on the footpath, and had to be carried into a neighbour's house,whoro she received much attention, and recovered. Others proved moro bravo, and after tho first few moments of alarm they sot about saving their property. Salvage Operations. At an early stage of tho fire the Salvage Corps,undor Captain Field, arrived on the scene with their salvago appliances, and With the assistance of willing volunteers, rendered most valuable service. The corps directed their attention to tho furniture and goods in the shop? moio immediately exposed to danger, and in an incredibly short spaco of time the shop 3of Messrs Young, Brown, Mottam, Crawley, Carr, Somers, and Cotter wero cleared cf almost every movoablo article which they contained. Tho goods wero packed on tho pavement on the opposite side of the street, and carefully covered with tarpaulins. Of course absolutely nothing could be saved from tho Dare's premises, which woro virtually enveloped in flames when tho alarm was given. The articlos strewn ovor the street wero for the most part watched by a the owners, clad in the fow articles which thoy could pick up in their hasty exit. The police rendered valuable service in protecting this neoossarily exposed property,

Scene on the Roadway.

The scene on tho roadway was a most animated ono. Amidst the heaps cf furniture thero was gathered an immense crowd of people, intermingled with the inhabitants of tho damaged tenements, men, women, and children, bareheaded, barefooted, and thinly clad, consoling and condoling with one another, In one place was a little girl with eyes red and sore with weeping. Her mother, she said, was going mad, and she was frightened, although they had saved most of their goods. Rumours of all kinds were afloat, and various children were reported missing, but they eventually turned up all safe, At one time it was said that Mr Dare was missing, and a search was instituted. It was learned in time that he had called at Mr Ds Courcy's shop, and had there obtained some boot 3 and other necessary articles,