FIRE IN THE CITY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 75, 31 March 1910, Page 7

FIRE IN THE CITY.

OUTBREAK IN STOUT-STREET. MESSRS. BUTLER'S BUILDING DAMAGED. A fire of some magnitude occurred in tho city <it an early hour this morning. Three minutes after 3 o'clock the brigade received a call to Stout-street, and found on arrival a few minutes later that the big brick building, owned and occupied by Messrs. J. E. Butler, Ltd., wholesale saddlers, was on fire. The flames were breaking through the roof, which was slowing red hot, and there were evidences that the fire bad started in tho workroom on the top floor at the southern end. Five leads of hose were used, two being taken up to the roof by ladders and ihe brigade put in a couple of hours' arduous work lighting the flames, a howling southerly gale constituting * very efficient "forced draught." The floor on which the fire originated was used as a workroom, and in it was stored a large quantity of canvas and fibre used in the manufacture of saddlery. One man was engaged there in that work until 5.35 the previous evening, and when he left everything appeared to be safe. It is evident, however, that the fire had been growing in volume for several hours before the alarm was given, and shortly after the men got to work the floor collapsed, and presents every appearance of having been under the influence of the, flames for a considerable time. Almost everything it contained is destroyed, aud the wood work is burned to a cinder. The heat of the flames broke the skylights in the roof and the remltant draught drew the flames upward, thus saving the floor below to a very considerable extent. On the other band, the immense quantity of water Übcd to extinguish the flames ran downwards from floor to floor and a great deal of damage was done by that means. STOCK MUCH DAMAGED. The brigade worked steadily, and as far as the building is concerned a good "save" was effected. The building is a substantial structure of brick, erected some seven or eight years ago at a cost of about £11,000, and it is only slightly damaged. The contents, however, nave suffered considerably from the huge volumes of water poured into the flames-, although it will take some time to assess the exact amount. The water poured on to the burning building from above, and did considerable damage to the offices in the lower part of the building, occupied by Messrs Wilford and Levi, solicitors, and Messrs Ellis and Manton, produce agents. Messrs Wilford and Levi's office received the deluge at first hand, and their offices present a well-watered appearance. Books, papers, files, typewriters are soaked through and through, and as most of the papers lying on ihe tables were connected with cases either before the courts or being prepared for the court, considerable inconvenience has been caused, not to speak of the loss in law books, which will total a considerable amount. Fortunately all "original" documents — deeds and such like — were in the strongroom, and escaped uninjured. Messrs Ellis and Manton's stock in the cellar suffered badly. All the water that did not run into the street flowed into the cellar, which has been flooded to a depth of nearly two feet, and it is anticipated that the damage will be great. The insurance* were as follow :—;Butler Bros. — Building : £5000, Liverpool, London and Globe office ; content* : Liverpool, London and Globe, £4650 ; North BritUh £2000: National £1000; Standard £2500. Wilford and Levi— Contents : 5150, Phoenix office ; Ellis and Manton — £3000, London and Lancashire. AN ARCHITECT'S VIEWS. A well-built brick building, that is almost an impossibility to burn. It aeems incredible that "it should • catch fire. No wonder that keen business men take extra precautions against fire, and have their books and papers secured in fire-resisting safes. Chubb and Son's safes and strongroom doors are known throughout the world, and have never been known to fail. Mr. James Dykes, of Gualter, Dykes and Co., Featherstonstreet, is attorney in New Zealand for Chubb and Son, and holds stocks of their well-known safes. — Advt.