CITY FIRES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 30, 6 February 1928, Page 8

CITY FIRES.

TWO SERIOUS OUTBREAKS. DAMAGE OVER £10,000. KARANGAHAPE ROAD BLAZE. TONSON GARLICK PREMISES. H'LENDID SAVE BY THE FIREMEN". I'.image estimated between £SOOO and i 10,000 was done by fire which broke • ill in Tonson Garlick's furniture -iii ']>. Karangaliapc Uoad. about 4.30 this morning. All that remains on the l'uund floor is a mass of burned and charred carpets, linos, materials, and I'nrniturc. Three safes lie upturned in one corner. The whole floor is black and chaotic debris.

When the City Fire Brigade reached the. place, it was fairly spouting flames, and there was considerable danger to surrounding premises. The firemen attacked the blaze from every angle, and with half a dozen leads of water going at high pressure, soon began to make headway. It was a short and sharp fight, i'.iiu blazing timber soon gave place to smouldering debris. Not until an hour had elapsed was the brigade able to return to headquarters. " It was learned this morning that the tire had started near the electric light switchboard, and experts were investigating that aspect during the day. The building is a two-storev one, and onece the first got a good hold there was no chance of saving it from destruction. As it was, the city firemen accomplished a, splendid task in saving the adjoining premises. The ground floor of the Tonson Garlick premises was burned out, the upper floor was considerably damaged, and a good deal of water found its way into the basement. As a result of the fire about 50 employees are temporarily out of work. Insurances total £19,000. They are distributed as follows:—lnsurance Office of Australia, £8000; Ocean Office, £4000; Lloyd's, £4000; and South British, £3000.