FIRE AT DUNEDIN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 837, 8 June 1910, Page 6

FIRE AT DUNEDIN.

EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. WELLINGTON GOODS AFFECTED. S3* Teleffraoli.—Press Association.! Dunedin, June 7, A fire which threatened to assume, rather serious dimensions broke out in a largo stone and wooden building with frontages lo Dolling Street and Lower High Street this evening. It started in tho basement, which is occupied by John Chajnbers and Son, .Machinery agents, and where there was stored a grout quantity of machinery, and machinists' stores, such as oils, wastes, A large portion of this was | destroyed by the fire, and a good deal of damage- was sustained by water, the basement having practically to be Hooded to subdue the flames. The large elevator well in the centre of the building, extending from the top to the bottom, allowed the fire to reach the outer parts of the but it was nevertheless eventually confined almost entirely to the centre of the building after hours of strenuous work. Tho building itself did not sustain very extensive. damage. It was owned by Mr. Donald R&d, senr., and was tenanted by a largo number of different firms. It is insured in tho New Zealand office, but the amount is not at present ascertainable. Messrs. John Chambers and Son are the principal losers. As engineers and importers they carried machinery, oils, etc., valued at between £10,000 and £*12.000, and, tu this stock, considerable damage was done both by fire jind. water, so that the firm's less will be heavy. The firm has an insurance for .4MSUO iu the Commercial Union Oflice, JJISOO in the Australian Alliance Office, and <£1000 on the office furniture and efiects in the Commercial Union. Hough estimates'place the damage at 50 per cent, of the total stock. The rooms fronting bowling Street, occupied by the Wellington Woollen Manufacturing Company, were considerably damaged, but the daimtgo nnd insurances are not available. A clothing factory, occupied by Messrs. Jacob Rittenberg and Co., was much damaged by fire and water. The sample rooms ,on these premies contained the samples of four commercial travellers, and each is a heavy loser. -•

.Mr. Doughty,' representative of Messrs. George ami D.' Doughty, Wellington,, has stcck and'samples valued at some <£2700, which have suffered RDvipttsly. Mr. Doughty had some '«£S(JO worth of silks, which are now probably hopelessly damaged. v During the afternoon, however, he seiii custonlers sonic <£700 worth of goods, the last of which left the premises some (en minutes before the fire broke out. Mr. William B. Penliey, agent for a number of commercial firms, had a considerable quantity ol soft goods damaged to some extent. Mr. White arrived by the Wimmera on Sunday with 22 cases of samples.from the stock of Mr. H. Todd, Sydney, and had just finished unpacking stock valued at ~150. This has been somewhat damaged by water. Mr. Duncan Cajneron, representative of Messrs. Skelton, Frostick and Co. of Christchureli, is a ilieary loser. He had between .£3OO and <£40(i worth .of samples packed ready for shipment lo Christchurch to-morrow morning, and all was more or less damaged. The Koyai Exchange Assurance Office, and the premises of. Messrs. A. Munro, tailor, Asiin and Bedford, solicitors, and Evans, manufacturing chemist, are losers to a smaller ,extent. The Reichel Automatic Tire ..Alarm notifies fire brigade station, within 20 second; of outbreak of fire. No maintenance, 10 prr cent, rebate on insurance premiums. Full particulars, Head Office. Featherston Street.—Advt.

[The Minimax Hand Fire Extinguisher can be used by anyone, even ,'a- lady. or. child.,. It is effective, economical, and durable. —Mr. A. T. Bate, agent.—AdvtJ •