WITH LADDER AND HOSE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 75, 29 March 1913, Page 5

WITH LADDER AND HOSE.

The building at the height of the fire seemed to bo a veritable furnace, and many of the spectators were enthusia.stkin praise of the splendid 'work of tho firemen in the face of the intense heat. A lady visitor staying at the Waverloy Hotel said "I never saw anything like it. They sremed to be absolutely fearless, and the way in which they carried out the brisk orders of their captain was nothing short of marvellous. There was absolutely no confusion, and the coolness of the men was wonderful. Many of the firemen had their clothes torn to U'.wvs in their '..dTortis to \check the dames. Tho roof of the hotel where I am staying, was flooded with water by the hotel .-tatT with the help of some lircm-en, but everything was done with such silent and automatic precision, that few of the boarders excepting those on the top floor, knew that anything untoward was happening. One incident of the fire furni-shed an instance of tho manner in which these heroes of the ladder and the hose carrji their lives in their hands. Deputy-Sup-erintendent Wilson and Fremen Scott, Briscoe, and K'.ons-lcy were working at tho stair on the second floor, when the head of the stair burned through and precipitated them with a crash to tlir Hour inlPWi Ti*y were ),n bad V s-n.TUt-a._it it i» oxp«-<?tc-U that the rea '\""' II) J ] ••]».]•• i" I) anj[<: m twcti ra] ] ' hUklrr from Queen street, in a mtirm.-v ,•' I I which won the moAt enthusiastic adlUirThe members oi the Fire Brigade were loud in praise this morning at the kind-ih-ss and tlioughtfulncss of Mr. Sloanc, ■narjigcr of the Waverley Hotel, anil Mr. McKeoWll, proprietor of the restaurant at tho foot of Queen Street, in supplying them with hot c-oiTec alio, refreshments lit intervals during their combat with the fire. Upon inquiry this afternoon it wos learnt tint Fireman Bristow. who was injured in the burning building, is not seriously hurt, bis principal injuries bc!n£ to the shoulder and foot. He will be able to resume duty in the course of a few days.