FIRE IN THE CITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 16, 14 October 1907, Page 7

FIRE IN THE CITY.

A ! : FORTUNATE ESCAPE.

. A firo'.brpkp. put in. the very heart pf the city early yeßtprtJay evening, and in premises whore a large amount of inflammable rhateriajHyas- stored, , There,<we.re!all the elements fqr. atiother 'devastating; cqnflagrqtjon. 'Bui; thankg , toi the tyrnely outbreak... in its :iricipient stage, and thp prompt and'effective work of tho.Fire Brigacle,' under Superintendent- Hugo, the flames were quenched byithe time 'that , only comparatively ■triflirig'dairiago , was dplio.; '' ' : '"

'Tho fire |)roke out in premises at Np.'sa Willis Streot, the establishrnentypf tKp City Printing', CompanyrrMessfs. Wrigiit "and ,up .a ■. rigbtrpf-way. adjoining Carroll's; Tea .'Rooms. The. alarm was given ,by^ani'employee if CarroU's -at 5.53, and the .brigade was quickly at work. -The premises are oil. the'first floor, and divided ■ into ■ three . sections, office, '.• storeroom, and printing room; : Over fhe latter room ia a large loft, used for.Btpring paper, and it was herefwhere .thei: fire, had secured a; hold. Dense .'.volumes" of'.black Jsmoke poured put of:tho:building,'which'made the work of the firemeh extremely arduous. They set to with a'will, spsnepessful'were their ptfprts that the outbreak was subdued ' in about, twenty minute's. . ; '' ■" ■■ ; ) •■■

The 'loft was 'severely damaged, and practically all thei : con tents; ! mostly paper, : were dostroyetl. ,l ! The remainder of/'the- building, howeyor, escape^ , without much harm' being done,' 'the printing' room'. and ; its : machinery etc T( not suffering much damage. The ground floor is used as : a' bakehouse for Mr. parroll's restaurant, and it wat partially dam-, aged by' w^.ter.: ' The printing "factory is owned by' the Fitzgerald Estate, but information concerning tho insurance could not he obtained last night, its contents were insured in the United, and the bakehouse ? n <? kitchen in the Now Zealand Insurance Company. The building is one of/ the oldest in Wellingtbn, and -years ago was • occupied by the ; ! Evening Post,' , .: ' , ■"■