FIRES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 66, 18 March 1915, Page 7

FIRES.

XORTHCOTE BAKEHOUSE DESTROYED. About ]2.10 a.m. this morning a fire occurred in the bakery of Messrs. Dowsett and Son. at the corner oi ]jike Road and Reservoir Road, N'orthcote. Captain \V. t-pence, of the Nortlicotc fire brigade. was quickly upon the scene, and with the length of hose from the (ire-box within 100 yards of the building, attacked the flames. The lean-to adjoining the dwelling was burned, but Mr. Speneo was able to save the main building, which was, however, charred, having caught alight. The bakehouec, ebeda and store, together wrth two vehicles, were completely destroyed, and though the Xorthcotc fire brigade arrived later with extra lengths of hose and reel, it was impossible to do more than totally extinguish the flames and thus 3avc the dwelling. An extra supply of flour was got in only a few daye ago. and this was destroyed, the loss being over £300. A new baker's oven was also practically destroyed. The loss sustained by Messrs. Dowsett and Son will greatly exceed the insurances, which only amount to about £140 on the bakehouse, stock, storeroom, harness and stock-in-trade, the Norwich Union Insurance Society holding the risk. Messrs. Clow and Sa.neom, of Xorthcot«. have placed their bakery pro nises at the disposal of Messrs. Dowectt in the meantime. The wiedom of the Borough Council in placing lengths of hose, etc., in various depots throughout the borough v.-as again exemplified in fchis instance, resulting in the savin™ of the residence, this arrangement enabling the fire to be fought immediately upon discovery. OUTBREAK AT POXSOXBY. A fire occurred in Clarence Street, Ponsonby, last night, as a result of which the three-roomed dwelling occupied by Mr. G. Greenhough, and owned by Mr. J. Crocker, of Wellington Street, was gutted. Shortly after ten o'clock a resident in the neighbourhood of the house noticed the fire, and immediately gave the alarm, which brought the Ponsonby and City Fire Brigades promptly on the scene. They prevented the building from being destroyed. As the occupants were away from home when the outbreak occurred the cause is unknown. There was no insurance on the furniture, which was valued at about £70, and the insurance on the building is not yet aeeertainable. A break in one of the water mains occurred shortly after the fire had been extinguished, and one or two houses in the vicinity were flooded. Repairs were soon effected, however, by two men sent to the spot by the city waterworks foreman (Mr. J. Carlaw).