FIRES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 86, 13 April 1899, Page 8

FIRES.

PIKE ON THE INDRAMAYO,

DAMAGE UNDER £2060,

1 About two o'clock on March 28th, while the Tyser steamer Indramayo was off Russell, on the voyage from Sydney to this port, p.ne of the deckhands noticed a slight smell of smoke an the forward part of the ship. The matter was at once reported to Captain^ "Craven; and a thin stfcsatti; of smoke was seen issuing from, the No. 1 (hold, near the forecastle. As. soon as the alarm was given the men at once went to their posts, the hatches were removed, and the pumps Bet to work, the hoses throwing streams of water down the hold. After half an hour's work the volume of «moke was considerably reduced, and the "seat of the fire being got at, another quarter of an hour saw it comjpletely out, thanks to "the energetic ■work of the captain, and crew of the •vessel. •. ■

Captains M. T. Clayton and Worsp, marine surveyors, made a survey of the hold to ascertain the extent of ±he damage. It was found that a considerable quantity of damage had been done to the consignments in the hold by fire and smoke, but more by water. Fortunately the hold was not nearly full, a large portion of the cargo stored in it having been discharged at Melbourne and Sydney. A general average of two and a ■half per cent, has been struck on the cargo of the Indramayo.

A fire broke out in Lincoln-street, Ponsonby, about 1 o'clock on March 24, and destroyed two houses, a third dwelling •was also badly gutted before the fire could be Suppressed. The fire started In the residence of Mr Eagleson, an employee at the Gas Company's works, Which was destroyed. The adjoining house that of Mr Schimmilt, butcher, was also fcv nSCe^ and * third dwelllne- ™ned fey Mrs ihomson; was gutted before the flames w er * suppress^. the fire hay ng S£ S*?;^'1' I?ouse insured l«50 in the South British, and his ea ects

for £100 in the. same ""office. The other two houses were owned by Mr Charles Williamson, and were uninsured. Mrs Thomson had a policy of £75 on her effects in the Royal. ' A serious fire occurred in the early hours of Sunday, March 26, in the drug-store of Messrs Kempthorne, and Prosser, Wyndham-st. The seat of the fire was in the basement, a few feet from the back door, and the flames broke through the ground floor and went up the lift well to' the first and second floors, doing considerable damage on the upper floors by scorching. The firemen worked hard, but experienced considerable difficulty in dealing with the flames owing to the fumes arising from the burning acids. After several hours' work th c fire was extinguished, but not until the bulk ox the goods in the basement had been destroyed. Insurances on the stock are I

as follow:—South British Insurance Coy, £1600; Victoria, £3500-, Man-

Chester, £2000; National £20^)0; Nor-

wich Union £2000; New Zealand office £1000; Liverpool, London a,ud Globe, £1000; Sun,. £1000; Phoenix, £500;

North British, i£soo; futiugs insured in South British far £400; total, £15,500.

GISBORNE, March 24

The British Hotel and stables were totally destroyed by fire at midnight. The building v/as not insured.