Fire Destroys Top Storey Of Oamaru Store

Press, Volume C, Issue 29671, 15 November 1961, Page 14

Fire Destroys Top Storey Of Oamaru Store

“The Press" Special Service

DUNEDIN, Nov. 14. . Thousands of pounds worth i of reserve stock was destroy- i eu when fire ~-'tted the top 1 storey of Miller’s. LtcL, ( department store in the main ; business area of Oamaru this afternoon. Flames and smoke were • leaping from the roof when ■ the first of the Oamaru Fire I Brigade's engines arrived. It i Was returning from a grass i fire when the call came. The i second machine was also ■ called away from the grass i outbreak. ‘Ons lead of hose was run inside the i building and another outside. . Fierce heat kept the bri- ' grdesmen at bay for a start. : but their concentrated efforts soon had effect on the bil- i lowing smoke and flames. Meanwhile, below, mem- : bers of the staff, helped by a 1 targe team of volunteers, ' rushed stock from the front part of the shop to the rear 1 —away from the water pour- ’ tag through the upper floor. ! Most of the display stock ; was rescued. 1 *t some suf- 1 feted water damage. It escaped the ravages of the ; fire, however, and lay piled intact at the back of the shop. ‘

A sunken pillar at the front of the shop gave cause for alarm as it sagged through the saturated floor. The floor above began to give way, and firemen had to prop up the supporting beam. The work of the volunteers was highly praised by the store management. “People came from everywhere to help shift the stock,* some of them strangers—it showed a fln * spirit,”- representatives said. "We are very appreciative.” Various firms had also offered to provide storage accommodation, and Alliance Textile* the use of its drying room*. The store will be closed for an indefinite period while repairs are carried out Stocktaking and sorting win be the Immediate concern of the staff. Miller’s was having its first anniversary sale in the premises, which were built by the firm a year ago. The anniversary sale will now be changed to a fire sale. The firm has been in bustn«ss in the town for 30 years This was its first fire. No records were lost

The only casualty reported was Fireman G. Moffat, who suffered a cut wrist when windows above the veranda were smashed in. Wisps of smoke between the Oamaru stone frontage of the store and the aluminium facings first raised the suspicions of Mr P. T. Mulligan, an Oamaru businessman. “I was on my way to the Post Office at 2.30 pm. when I first saw the smoke,” Mr Mulligan said afterwards "I was not too sure that a fire had started, so I went to the other end of the building to have a further look “The smoke was wisping over the top of the building and downwards in thd strong north-east wind. I rushed inside and advised an assistant. Mr Arthur Rawcliffe." Mr Mulligan said Mr Rex Blackgrove then grabbed a bucket of water from the back of the downstair* shop and ran upstairs. Mr Blaekgrove said that after using the bucket of water, he used a fire extinguisher on stock in the women’s clothing store, but was driven back by the intense heat and the smoke.