FIRE LOSS OF £29,000

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2444, 24 April 1915, Page 8

FIRE LOSS OF £29,000

AUCKLAND STABLE HOLOCAUST

FURTHER DETAILS IBr MeeMßli.—Press Association.) Auckland, April 23. Three hundred and fifty horses wero lost in the fire at Craig's stables. The firm estimates its losses as follow: — Building, £7000; horses, £14,000; fodder and harness, £6500; mechanical plant, £1600; total, £29,000. This does not include a number of vans and lorries seriously damaged. The stables were only recently erected, and the workmen who were employed painting finished their work on Wednesday. The carpenters, who completed their final work upou the building, had not removed their tools. It was erected upon a property; at the corner of Cleveland Road and St. George's Bay Road, the site being secured by extensive excavation. A Targe quantity of material used in the erection of the stables originally formed

the greater part of the machinery court &t the Auckland Exhibition.

The fire spread through the building within a few seconds. Many residence® overlook the firm's property, and a few minutes before tlhe alarm reached the Fire Brigade, at two minutes to nine, residents in the vioinity 6aw no sign of tho fire. Afterwards the whole neighbourhood was aroused by a tremendous outburst of flames and the awful screaming of the doomed horses. So far as could be learned, only two men were in the building. One was Gurney, head stableman, who was working in the office on the upper floor Gurney was -unable to offer any explanation, of the outbreak. Both men esoaped with difficulty. By this time a few residents hud arrived, and an attempt was made to rescue some of the horses. All were standing in their stalls secured by head chains. Three or four plunging horses were released, but only two of them were brought outside. Others/ broke away and dashed back to destruction. For a few minutes the screaming of the horses was heard; then it was overwhelmed by the roaring of the flameß and the crashing of. the timber and iron as the structure began to collapse. Water thrown upon the flames had no appreciable effect. Columns of flame rose nigh above the neighbouring dwellings, and blazing fragments were carried away upon, the wind. Towards 10 o'clock the greater part of the timber in the building had been consumed, and within the nest hour danger of extension of the damage had disappeared.

The efforts of the brigade were successful in protecting all the neighbouring houses, also coacnbuilding shops belonging to Mr. Craig at the south-western corner of the stables. A few smajl outbuildings and some fencing on private property above the stables were destroyed, but the damage was practically confined to the mailt building. ■ Further inquiries show that the correct insurances on Craig's stables and horses were as follow: Building, £5000; fodder,. £1500; harness and equipment, £2600 fall in the New Zealand Insurance Office); and a general policy on the 'horses of £3700 in.the Royal Insurance Office.

The firm's loss is probably about £11,000 over the insurance. As far as can be ascertained, 225 horses were burned, of a total value. of ' about £9000. The clearing away of the caroasses of the unfortunate animals was commenced this morning, and will Be finished to-morrow morning. The carcasses are being taken by scow to the Hauraki Gulf, and dumped into the sea. ' , .

During the-firemen's forty years' operations this is the first fire ,of the kind they have .experienced,