£l000 FIRE DAMAGE

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 28003, 25 June 1956, Page 12

£l000 FIRE DAMAGE

OUTBREAK IN SYDENHAM RUGBY CLUB ROOMS

Damage estimated at about £lOOO was caused by a fire which broke out in the Sydenham Rugby Football club rooms at the rear of the Lawson street hall early on Saturday morning. Only about a month ago the rooms were reopened after extensive renovations, costing £2500. had been done. The fire was noticed soon after 7 p.m. by a member of the club arriving for a social function, which was to have been held later in the evening. The secretary of the club (Mr K. McNeil) said that if the fire had not been discovered then it is likely that the rooms would "have been destroyed. The worst damage was done in the kitchen, which was completely gutted. A partition between the kitchen and the social room was burned. A store room was also extensively damaged, but most of the sporting gear—jerseys and balls—were out of store. The paint work in the billiards room was damaged. The gymnasium was untouched. Mr McNeil said that after a clean down the billiards room might be usable again, but it might be six weeks before the rooms were repaired. The building was covered by insurance. The club also owns the hall, which is at present let to Deanes, Ltd., clothing manufacturers, who use it as a store. No damage was done to the hall.

Two engines, one from the Central Station and one from Sydenham answered the call.