Fire at Blenheim.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5214, 8 May 1888, Page 3

Fire at Blenheim.

IRONMONGERY STORE DESTROYED,

GREAT DAMAGE TO STOCK.

THE INSURANCES.

f PER FEEBS ASSOCIATION. |

Blenheim, This day,

A fire broke out about midnight in Wills' ironmongery store, Market-street South. Tbo wholo of the building was gutted. By great efforts the Brigade managed to confine the fire to tho building, though on two or three occasions it spread to tho places adjoining. Mr Wills had been giving up business, and Mr Heyhoe, draper, was to have removed into the shop tomorrow. Nothing is known as to the origin of tho fire. So far as can be ascertained the following are the correct insurances, but some aro reinsured :—Times, plant, Royal JE32O, Norwich Union £300; North German £200; Ward's stock and fittings, New Zealand £300, Norwich Union £200 ; Smale and Hayes' Btock, Union £500, Equitable £250, Colonial £500, Standard £500, North German £250 ; W. Wills' shop, Phconix £800; Howard's shop, Phconix £350; Howard's stock, £140 Union, but valued at £750, much damaged by water and removal. Tho only stock actually destroyed was Mr Wills', and he had not very much left. The family, who lived in the shop, removed on Friday last, but the piano aud other furniture was left. The piano was saved, and some stock. Tho other shops adjoining principally suffored through damage by removal. Smalo and Hayes had a large stock, and also a shipment on board the Doric. Later.

Correct insurances:—Wills, ironmonger, building, Phconix £800; stock, Norwich Union £300, Equitablo £200. _ Howard, cabinetmaker, building, Phccnix £350; stock, Union £140. Card, bookseller, stock, Norwich Union £200, New Zealand £250. Burns, Marlborough Times, plant and stock, Norwich Union £500, North German £200, Royal £320. Rose, grocer,-stock and furniture, Union £150. Smalcy and Hayo, drapers, building (including Rose's shop), Now Zealand £500; stock, Union £500, Equitablo £250, Colonial £500, Standard £500, (£240 re-insured in the Union, making £750 in that office), North Gorman £250. At a meeting of the Fire Insuranco Association this morning it was decided that Smalo and Hay should take the stock back to their premises. It is difficult to determine what tho actual loss is. Wheu they lately took stock they had over £3001) worth in the premises. M"r Rose estimates his loss at £100, aud Mr Howard his at several hundreds. Ho was going to take out another policy on the stock to-day in the London and Lancashire office. Mr Card estimates his loss at £150 to £200. The Times loss is ineonsiderablo.

Nad it riot been for the great exertions of the Firo Brigades, the wholo block must have been burnt down. Mr Wills' building was completely gutted, but only small damage was done to Smale and Hay's (at the rear of Rose's), and Howard's buildings. Mrs Howard and children had barely time to escape. They lost almost everything in the shitpo of furniture, clothing, valuables, and a good portion of upholstery for tho now Criterion Hotel.was burnt. Fortunately the night was very still, and the fire was discovered before it had much hold.