FIRE EPIDEMIC.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 16068, 26 November 1917, Page 6

FIRE EPIDEMIC.

SUSPICIOUS OUTBREAK AT

SYDENHAM

About 11 o'clock on Saturday night Mr T. H. Strahan. fish-dealer, 432 Colombo street, telephoned to tho Central fire station that thero was a firo on his premises, but almost immediately rann again to say that it was out. Superintendent Warner despatched a man from the Sydenham sub-st-ation to inspect the premises, and tho officer found that thero had been thrco fires lighted—the first in the smoke-house, the second in tho stable, and the third alongside the Sydenham Football Club's Hall. Paper and straw had been used in each instance to start a blaze. The prompt discovery of tho outbreak led to their being extinguished before they had timo to do any damage.

As in Saturday morning's fire in Manchester street, incendiarism is suspected.

In addition to the above notification, tho Brigade received two inulicious false alarms on Saturday.

Tho letter writer who lias boon sending round warnings to persons in the city regarding their premises, evidently considers the Anglican Cathedral is in danger. A Christehureh citizen received a communication which stated that Bishop Julius had better beware as tho Cathedral was suing to bo blown up shortly. This warning ho brought to the notice of the Bishop one evening, and asked the Bishop what ho was going to do about it. The reply did not show much perturbation of spirit on the part of the Bishop, for he mereiy remarked: "Well, personally, I am going to bed." Speaking to a "Press" reporter last night, Bishop) Julius said, in effect, that ho could not bring himself to worry over such letters, as ho considered they must be tho fruit of some irresponsible brain. Ho had been told by tho heads of largo firo insurance companies at Homo that after every big firo there were suro to bo further outbreaks due, it was thought, to tho acts of unbalanced people who were irresistibly impelled to try to cause moro fires. Tho same kind of thing often happenod nftcr a sensational murder or suicide.

In connexion with tho fire that occurred in ,threo unoccupied shops in Manchester street on Saturday morning, it has been ascertained that tho buildings were insured with tho National Insurance Co. in two scparato amounts of .£IOO, but these amounts would not cover tho damage. Tho police stato that the building had been apparently unoccupied for some time, but a window at the back was broken and Ihoro was nothing to prevent a person from getting into the place. It would not bo possible to definitely stato that the fire was tho result of deliberate incendiarism.