GREAT FIRE AT DUNEDIN.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 6657, 24 January 1887, Page 3

GREAT FIRE AT DUNEDIN.

LOSS ESTIMATED AT £150.000. A TERRIBLE SCENE. » | ENTOMBED IN THE BURNING . BUILDING. | PRESS ASSOCIATION TILEGRAM.J i DUNEDIN, January 23. 1 Shortly after one o’clock this afternoon, i a fire, which assumed very large propor- , tiona, broke out in the large factory of the i Dunedin Iron and Woodvare Company. > The premises, which cover about two acres of ground in a square block, and exten I from Princes street to Bond street, aving also a third frontage to Manor street, were j burnt down about ten years ® n r belonging to Guthrie and Larnach a 00 > ware Company. They were then rebuilt 1 on a much more extensive scale, the large 1 furniture warehouse and offices being cur | stories high. The fire appears to ave . broken tut close to the engine-house, and 1 spreading rapidly through th# highly m- ■ flammable material in the factory, which : was full of all the tot-at and unproved machinery, soon had everything t ere m l ruins, and after burning about half an ' hour, the walls fell with afearful crash mto 1 the street. The Fire Brigade were working 1 hard to cope with the body of flames, which ! were fearful in the centre of the building. and as there was a stout brick wall between i the offices and factory, it was thought ’ they might save the latter. The flames ’ steadily gained, as the building was so ex- ! tensive tbat very little water could be got to reach tbe centre, where a large fire was raging. The wind had carried the lire • away from the direction of the engine house, where it first started, but when it gotholdof the officestheflamesworked their way back again to the Bond street frontage. Water was poured on to the fire steadily, and a large quantity of furniture was removed from the showrooms and warehouse, but as most of it was lowered by ropes from the windows it suffered severely. There was a tremendous crowd present, and as an alarm of powder being on the premises was raised, they were fanning about wildly, although never interfering with the salvage work. There was a considerable quantity of cartridges in the building, and these oonld be heard popping off in a regular fusillade, but the roar of the fire and the falling roofs and walls drowned it. Two or three heavy explosions of powder took place, but did no damage. How the fire originated is a mystery. There is a night watchman, but be is not on duty on Sunday during daytime, but as he left everything safe about eight o clock this morning, it is difficult to aocount for the fire starting when and where it did. Tbe Iron and Woodwate Company in practically the Bank of New Zealand, and the loss is estimated at fully £150,000, of which about £76.000 is covered by insurance divided among neatly e-rery Company doing business here. All torts of wild rumors were current as to firemen being injured when tbe walls kept falling, but so far as could be ascertained only one was hurt—Fireman McFarlane, who had his leg broken. Several others received severe cuts, wounds, or bruises by falling glass, timber, &0., but they kept hard at W< lt was with some difficulty the fire was kept from jumping across Prinoes street, but tbe buildings there were kept soaked with water. There is no danger of the fire extending now, unless a fierce gale springs up. but it will bum for many hours yet. It is almost certain that loos of life has occurred. When the staircase at the back of the furniture department fell there were a number of people in the building, and at least four of them were penned by the falling debris, and it has been found impossible to get them out. One of these is a youag man named Eequllant, another is finned Miller, and the third is a sailor whose name is unknown. There are tons pf debris on top of the material above these persons, who are still alive. Super■human efforts are being mads to rstcue them, and it is possible they may be got out alive. Dr. Brown is close to young Esquilant, who has piteously r< quested him to give chloroform to him, or in some other way pub him out of hia misery. Mr Henderson, the Manager, was near the spot when the staitß fell and narrowly