GUTTED BY FIRE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 95, 16 January 1935, Page 10

GUTTED BY FIRE

Woolworth’s Aucklanc Premises STOCK TOTAL LOSS Grest Crowd Watches Blaze By Tcfcgraph—Press Association. Auckland, January 15. One of flhc most disastrous fires experienced in Auckland during recent years raged in Queen Street for about two hours to-night causing extensive damage to the premises of Woolworths, Limited and to a lesser extent to the adjoining blocks of Coolies building and the Imperial Building. Fire broke out in Woolworth’s sho shortly after G p.m., and crowds flock ed into Queen Street to watch the fire men from practically all metropolita stations wage Ifattle witli tiie flames. I was not until after 8 o’clock that th outbreak appeared to be properly ur tier control. The firemen faced a difficult am dangerous task', and the gathering o a huge crowd in Queen Street also pr sented elements of danger. The insurance -on the stock, fixture and fittings of the shop of ’Woolworth’ Limited was for £26,300, and was will the Royal Insurance Comp’any, Limit cd. There was also a policy of ai amount not stated covering loss of pro fits.

It was estimated late to-night tha damage to the stock and fittings hat been comparatively complete,, smok' and water having accounted for any tiling that had survived damage b; actual tire. ■ It is understood that the buildins was owned by Mr. Bertram Dawson who is at present in England. Detail ’ of insurances were not available. Tin ’ building was lesisc'i to Woolworth’: Limited in Margii, 1929, the lease hav ’ ing six years, to run from that date It was formerly Everybody’s Theatre The alarm was given by a messenge ' j boy of the Post and Telegraph'Depart ment, who with another boy was walk ing down Queen Street. At that tiim some dozen people were standing ii front'of Woolworth's windows, havin: noticed smoke cooling apparently froti a counter at tiie extreme back of tin shop. Tiie boy ran to tiie neares alarm. Before the brigades arrived dense clouds of white smoke were pouring through flhe roof of the real portion of the building over Custom: Street and Port Street Lane. Ligln wells on the northern side of Cooke’s Building acted as flues, and columns of smoke appeared to be coming fron the roof of that tiioek, many of the spectators being under the impressioi for a few minutes that -Cooke’s Building was on Are. Three Brigades Arrive.

Three brigades arrived simultaneously. Thick smoke was coming from all parts of the buildinff. Other engines arrived on the scene, and three worked from Queen Street and one from Fort Street Lane. All available police officers were required fpr duty' to cope with the huge crowds in the city. There were inorc than 50 uniformed men engaged in checking crowds encroaching on traffic lames and directing vehicles, while numbers of detectives were also assigned to duty as soon as it became apparent that the fire was of large dimensions. Steps were taken to summon all available officers for duty and prompt measures enabled the police to.assist tiie firemen. Several diners from Cboke’s restaurant found themselves marooned by a wide pool of water outside the premises. Cheers and laughter arose when dripping firemen picked up a young lady and carried her across Queen Street. Good-natured booing was heard when a. smartly-dressed youth in a Runnel suit was taken across tiie flood in the .same wav. Within a few minutes several more young women decided to experience tiie joy of being carried acitoss Queen Street by firemen, but the habit became less popular when it was discovered that most of the men were wearing soaked uniforms. Collapse of Roof. In comparison with Cooke’s IVuilding, the block of offices’ and shopst on the other side of Woolworth’s, Imperial Buildings, escaped very lightly. Little . structural damage was caused a.ud only one tenant suffered serious loss.) when part of the roof of Woolwortli’s collapsed and flames shot up with terrific force and heat. Within a few moments the windows in Hit- negative room of Alan Blakey's photographic sAudios were shattered in the intense heat and the sills u*ere blazing. Fortunately the caretaker broke into the studio, and with the aid of a number of willing workers attempted to check the outbreak until brigade men could bring a lead of hose to the floor. The most serious damage was that caused by smoke and water to Blakey’s photographic plates. “If these have been completely ruined Hie loss is irrepasable,” Mr. Blakey said. “I am hoping, however, that if I no through them alii and re wash them in chemicals most o£. them may be saved.”

HUGE CROWD IN STREET Work of Brigade Hampered Dominion Special Service. Auckland. January 15. Attracted by tiie screaming sirens of fire engines converging on the scene of the outbreak from different outlying stations and a pillar of smoke that drifted lazily seaward before a light southerly breeze, a huge crowd quickly assembled, and for a time almost blocked Queen Street, apparently not realising that their presence would be a hindrance to the brigadesmen and SC John Ambulance members on duty. The- crowd pressed eagerly round the fire. Family parties hastily assembled and travelled by motor-car from the suburbs to see X’>e blaze. Cars were parked in haphazard style in nearby streets, and the crowd steadily grew. Barties returning from tennis, young people on their way for an evening swim and business people who had been delayed in the city all made toward the lire. The footpaths were soon overcrowded, and in spite of the best efforts of the police spectators moved out on to the road. The fact that there wgs no ordinary traffic tended to encourage the more inquisitive to stand near the tram lines, from where the heat of the blaze could be felt. Wlif-i? the fire was first seen there were motor vehicles parked on both sides of Queen Street in the j vicinity. The more prudent owners ( who huppenqcl to. be neiir BHsaat

ly moved their cars out of the danger zone, but other machines were left and some received a sorry battering at the hands of the crowd In spite of the best efforts of the police and the Metropolitan Fire Police, the crowd was difficult to control. Argumentative women, who saw no reason why they should not press forward, caused the rest of the crowd to sweep past the police on occasions, and it was not until uniformed members of the force joined hands and made a human barrier that the crowd realised the futility of trying to obtain a closer view of the fire. About nine o’clock, when there was next to nothing to be seen in Queen Street, the crowd was at its largest.

Vehicles continued to crawl through a mass of people, many of whom remained in the vicinity until late. Many spectators who ventured too close to the scene of the brigadesmen’s operations received a wetting. With one exception, however, water was thrown on the crowd accidentally. At one stage the greater part of the roadway was occupied by spectators, who hampered the work of the brigadesmen. Persuasion having failed, the simple but effective method of turning a light hose on to the crowd was adopted.