FIRE IN SAMPLE ROOMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 301, 20 December 1922, Page 4

FIRE IN SAMPLE ROOMS.

GOOD WORK BY BRIGADE. A lucky discovery, and a smart piece of work by the City Fire Brigade saved a valuable property in Fort Street last night. A few minutes after 10 o'clock Mr 0. E. Major who was working late at his office in Wright's Buildings in Fort Street, discovered a fire in the sample rooms of Messrs. O. H., Davies and Co.. indent agents, on the firet floor. Hγ rang up the fire brigade, which was smartly on the scene. When the brigade arrived the fire had a hold in the wooden part of tlic building, feeing Fort Street, and the flames were spreading to the goods in the part that is in the new brick portion. Messrs. Davies and Co. had a large quantity of soft goods and similar samples, and these naturally gave the fire a good hold. The brigade, however, tackled the task with its usual skill, and in a very short while had it out. A few minutes' delay in the discovery of the fire would have allowed it to get a fatal hold. Messrs. Davies and Co. are heavy losers in spite of the fact that the stock which was composed of new sampler was insured. The lose of the samples will throw the firm 6aek considerably. The building did not eustain any structural damage, but the fittings of Messrs. DaWs' rooms were ruined. The insurances on the stock amounted to £4300 in the Eagle. Star and British Dominions oiTiee, and the building was insured for £12,000 in the United and Pun offices. Tt is not known how the fire started, The staff left at the usual time, and no one was working late.