SERIOUS FIRE.

Press, Volume XXI, Issue 2350, 14 February 1873, Page 2

SERIOUS FIRE.

Shortly after midnight last evening v .the fire bells rang out an alarm of fire, and 04 getting into the street it was soon discovered to he r in close; proximity sta^the 'centre of the citj. The block in .which the fire originated is one in which a fire took place some mon'hs back, and has only recently been rebuilt. , The. fire,, on, that occasion originated very close to' the scene £>f that of last evening and destroyed very much the same number of buildings. To give a clear idea of thiei locale of the 'fire we may state that it comprised that block of small shops on the eastern. side of Colombo street, commencing with Ravenjhill!s: grocery store,, at the... corner of Colombo arid Lich field streets, and running down to Withey's brick chop,' including in the block, Ravei*hlll,i grocer; Cooper, fruiterer and general store; Tremayne, greengrocer; Oliver, fruit shop ; Peacock and Toomer, boot and shoe warehouse, and Mrs Atack, grocery establishment. When first observed, the fire was noticed in thje rightrof-way at,.the rear of .these .shops running from Lichfield street by means of which access was gained to the back premises, and appeared to come from a stable a<;,the back;. Certain it is that the fire originated in this spot, and that il~dul not do so in - the lean--tO, because persons' were in: there some seconds after the fire broke out.

'The ftre soori ; got firm Hold of Tremay ne's shop, which wad only wood.andof thel slightest character, and thence spread through the sides into (Jooper's on the one side and ■Peacock and Tobmer's on the other, burning fiercely.—Here some -delay occurred, in getting up. 7 the.: water. . t Mr , Superintenderit Harris, "who was early on the : ground, dispatched .the Extinguisher steam engine to the Cathedral "square' iKtnk^-.in order to play;. upon, the ~ front^, while ~tfye Dreadnought hand-engine" and Deluge steamer Vere despatched to the Matheson's Agency tank. The hose from the fofxner was Jaid_up_-ColQmb.Q street, Mr Harris deeming} one engine,, powerful enough xo deal with the' fire ih front, as he had the of a, .solid, stone . building (M.rWitbey's ..new.- shop) to , ke\p r . liimH inconfiriiilg ' the ' fire ' within A * reasonable limits, whilst at the back was a quantity of inflammable matter, such as timber yards, .pUce of cases, &C., which would have ineyitr ably_ JLed _ the fire : . further on. In "the meantime the fire, fanned by a "gentle 7 JT.W , . breeze, spread rapidly, and it seemed as though there would be a very serious conflagration. The fire had now extended to Ravenhili's, on the southern side, and MtsAtack'e on the northern* and the only engines playing were the Dreadnought hand engine and Deluge steamer. The hose from these was laid down Lichfield street -and played upon Bavenhili's corner and the back of the burning mass. The Dreadnoright was the first to deliver water from the Mathesnn's Agency tank, which was done in seven minutes from the alarm having been given, the Deluge following suit in nine minutes. The Extinguisher seemed to be thoroughly out of order, as she was a quarter of an hour getting under way, aud when she delivered the water there was not power enough, owing to the breaking of one of the union joints of the hose, besides which it leaked so largely all the way that it was impossible to get anything but a very poor stream, not sufficient to get over the verandah of the shops. While waiting idly for water, the fire crept gradually up until it was seen that no chance existed of saving Bavenhill's, and soon common cated with a house in Lichfield street, occupied by Mr Tompkins, and it was seen that no efforts of the firemen could save this corner block. However, the men worked on, but still no water from the Extinguisher. The other engines were working well, the stream thrown on being good and well directed. Their efforts were at first directed towards saving the house next to EavenhiU'e, fearing it might extend further to thereat This, however, from the vast body of flame from the burning mass, was found to be impossible and the firemen then turned their attention to preventing the fire spreading along the back to the cottages in rear, and thence to Cashel etreet. After a quarter of an hour's delay the Extinguisher got water through the hose, but it was an exceedingly feeble flow, and the hose itself wajUn such bad condition that the wa.ter escaped in large quantities, so much so that the engine was unable to throw the water at first higher than the verandahs of the houses. Some of the flakes of fire flew across the street, and the house occupied by Mr Snath was on fire jeveral times on the roof. The house occupied by Mr Tornp* tyfl* tuntitb, elm to BtretfU}'* w«# tU

next to take fire, and from thence it communicated across », the of-way with a cottage iodcupred '*'■■-"byMrs Bice, which was soon gutted, it being of very flimsy material. In the front the fire had reached Mr Withey's brick shop, where it was stayed by the wall, having deetroyetl the whole block southward of tbie, entirely. The heat at this time was intense , ! the names sweeping across Lichfleld street and the houses opposite in Colombo street being blistered with the heat, so much co that Mr Cooper, dentist* made arrangements for the removal of his stock The fire was soon nuder control, thanks to the efficient aid of the brick building, and at about 12.45 all danger was at an end. The necessity for the organisation of a Salvage Corps was last night more thau ever demonstrated. ~ Mobs of people, with the very best intentions, rushed frantically into houses, bieaking and smashing in all directions, doing far more harm thau good. Whereas a small corps of disciplined men, working steadily and coolly under direction of their officers, would have cleared the shops in a short space of time without any damage whatever. The following is a list of the buildings destroyed, and although in some instances we give the amount of insurances, we do not at all expect them to be correct, the information being obtained, of course, under circumstances of great excitement. Kavenhill, grocer's shop, totally destroyed, stock not insured, building insured ; estimated loss on stock, £300. <

Tremayne, fruiterer, totally destroyed, not insured on stock, £100 on building ; estimated loss, £400. Cooper, tailor and fruiterer, totally destroyed ; insurances tmkriown. Peacock and Toomer, wholesale bootmakers, totally destroyed ; insured in South British for £600 on stock, and in New Zealand for £100 on building; estimated lose over insurances, £500. J. P. Oliver, fruiterer, totally destroyed ; uninsured. ;

Mrs Atack, grocer; totally destroyed, stock iusured for £200, rest of insurances unknown. ,

Mr Tompkins, tinsmith, totally destroyed insurances not known.

Mrs Rice, cottage in rear, totally deetoyed insurance not known.

As will be seen, the entire block bounded as described, has been destroyed, and had it not been for the ezertiona of the Fire Brigade, Mr Tompkins would have stood a ohance of being burnt. ...-,.--■ Several other houses in the vicinity were damaged by water and, removal, of.which. , nu account as to loss can yet be given. ,

The Fire Police were some time arriving on the spot, and altogether the working at this fire was not so satisfactory aa on tormer occasions. .. , <

The Deluge had two branches laid on, while the Dreadnought had one on" down Lichfield street. :

The engines were playing on the embera at the time of our going to press, but no further danger was anticipated.