BIG FIRE IN THE CITY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 618, 22 September 1909, Page 7

BIG FIRE IN THE CITY.

LARGE BUILDING ABLAZE. iBRIGADE WORKING UNDER DIFFICUL- ■,-.. ;. ■ y ; - -ties. . ;■.. ■'. ~■■.■;■.-.■ ;•■•: About 2.30 o'clock this morning,' tlio . Firp Brigade received a call to Victoria. Street-,' ' where it was'sooji seen that a large four-storied, bnilding at.fche roar of the Opera House, and '■ fronting tho Town Hall, was well alight intlw top--storey, at.'the south-east, end., ,: A stitt,. . ~ southerly wind was carrying the flames to the > front of the building, and the fire ■ spread:,; .; ■:, rapidly In that direction and towards the Town ■Hail, •■;■.■■:■■ _ ■:■■■';■ ;;■'.■ ■'■}■■'.'■ ■The brigade, which got', smartly to work, waf ' ; seriously handicapped by the height at which i ';'"; tho.fire started. 1 From the st«eet level, despite-••.■*'' an excellent, pressure in. the mains, the hose*' '~/. were quite ineffectual. The-fire.escape, how-: ;;■.-■ ' ever , was quickly requisitioned, '■ , an-i .■;.-.;> a hose in * ob.arge of .three brigade?' ', ■v , men. directed , 'from ' ; this 'precarious. "■•>.■'■ perch wns. : soon pouring, streams .of- watet : ;> into what had now developed into e fiercelv...': ' , raging fire. : Another hose was,carried into tne- : ,. v,". building, but what use was made of this could , ; ; not ijo ascertained. r : :',' ■".■: ; . ■' .'■'■ '-V ■ The position, of the brigadesmen -was,'an-: i ; ' unenviable one.:, Their chief efforts had, of. ,'... necessity,.to be directed , from the front of the, ';■'■.:'. building, and the ilatnbs nn<l smoke wero driv-> ■'" ■ '.., ing in , their faces, ' Great s|iowe of spark* \ ; ~, 'af;times 'completely enveloped'them, , and. the ■■-. street was frequently' made 'impassible to. dlif ,■ •■',," ordinary wayfarer by these,firework displays.. , . ".. 'The'buildiiig, .which is a'large brick etruo- ■ •■: turo, taid to be owned by Mr, J. if.- Richard- '■'{'■ soni was let in ; flhts to various ,tenants, and ' i , - was divided into two par.ts by,a.sub-wall and. , . , ; '.;■ &sT)cst6s doors. At/time of writing. (3 0.m.). ' ■••'',■ the -fire •"had ■ been .confined ;to" the." two •■ <• ' top, floors, is the oastorn.wing, butwas oreepirii;,.,:,.;into the, storey below, and 'was thought to hav* ■'■■ l \' made an ■ entry ■ Into- the :wostem ;\vlng. < oil th»,' :' i''. top floor. It. was .still burning fiercely. ; ■', ' ;.'■ , It was' impossible to'aaperfcin' the names of. , . : : all the tenants. ,The, fire appeared to .'have .'- '■■ originated' in that 'part^lof , the. building occu-'j' ■* pied by Messrs.' Calmer' and' Co., 'cngineein.' ■.'-: ''•■ Mrs. Myers's rooms'also scorned to' have bce'ii y destroyed. Other tenants whose names appeal ~'. on the. building are:—Messrs! Hopper arid Har. v-.i ;' risonVH.'G. Anderson,'Shipping-Company,• Ei : ;I '' 'celsior Supply Companyj. Fairbairn, ; Wrigb>, , , ; . and Co., and Messrs. Van Staveren'Bros. i . > ■ v '' ; -'' ; - ■'■■'. \-l'-' r: - ■■■ " '<. : > :'?S ■:■.<) :.■■'Later.!;;.,:;;.'-{'' i At,3..15 a.m. tho, fire was praotically undef : "'■■'■'.■ control. : ' • ''.'"'■.■/.. ;'•'": ;■'.-.. '■ ■:. .\ /,."> .'• ■''' ': [The prompt- use : of the lliniraaj: Hand •Fin'?;.'•' )■:, Extinguisher .has prevonted many a disastrous . ''• : conflagration/ A; T. Bate, Nathan's Buildings, " : Wellington,, is the agent—Advt]. ~.. ..,, ■.