DESTRUCTION OF A RAILWAY STATION BY FIRE. (PER PRESS AGENCY.)

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 513, 19 May 1879, Page 2

DESTRUCTION OF A RAILWAY STATION BY FIRE. (PER PRESS AGENCY.)

Mbrcbr, 19th May. About two o'clock this morning the Railway Station at Mercer, together with the refreshment room and ladles' waiting room, was completely destroyed by fire. It was caused by a heated stove pipe igniting a wooden wall. The fire was discovered by the people at Riddler's Hotel, and William Morgan gave the alarm The fire was then bursting through the roof of the station office. Only a few articles of furniture were saved. The station-master bad been making up accounts till after mid-night. No one slept on tbe premises. The bantlings had recently been enlarged. Mr. Arkell is the proprietor of the refreshment-rooms, which are insured for £50 in the Norwich Union. He estimates his loss at between £40 and £50. The adjoining buildings were saved by the use of wet blankets Had sot the house been wet with rain, the Telegraph and Post Office and other buildiDgs must have been destroyed. They were in great jeopardy, and as it was the furniture had to be moved out. Mr. M'Donald, the General Manager, comes by special train view the ruins.