CITY PREMISES DAMAGED

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 16, 19 July 1923, Page 3

CITY PREMISES DAMAGED

SECOND OUTBREAK. Those who were in the vicinity of Molesworth street last evening were, for a few minptes, treated to a spectacular outbreak of fire in a shop occupied by Mr. A. 1.. Spiers, and situated in the! Artcraft Theatre Buildings. This was the second outbreak in the shop within v. uay, tile hrst tire having occurred the previous "evening, when it did little damage, and was quickly quelled by the . Wellington North Brigade. - Last even- ; ing at 5.15 o'clock the attention of the i I brigade was called to a much more seri- : ous outbreak in the shop. Mr. Spiers had been' holding a match while a neighbour nailed on a board. The match ! burned rather low, and was dropped by ' Mr. Spiers. It fell on some vulcanising ' solution and immediately ignited it, so that in'a few minutes the outbreak had I become out of control. By the time the i alarm was given, and the brigade arj rived, the flames were bursting forth, | and'there was an intense heat, co inI tens© that spectators on the opposite ' side of the road had to move away. • Only one lead of hose could be got to play on the fire, and it'was some time before the outbreak could be quelled. The brigade, however, did splendid work,_ and at last managed to force a j way into the premises, after winch it was only a matter of minutes before there was little sign of fire. The shop I was totally gutted, and. the fittings and I stock entirely destroyed. The Artcraft I Theatre suffered to some . extent in the « ; stalls, but this outbreak was subdued J with the aid of a portable extinguisher. I The shop verandah was badly burned, I but the adjoining premises did not ! suffer. -The contents of the shop were i insured for £1025. . I A fire also occurred at Wadestown last evening, when a partly-built house, the ( property of Mr. Eiley, jun., of Messrs. A. D. Riley and Co., was destroyed The builder was Mr. C. Jenkins, of the Hutt, and when he left earlier in the ; evening, the house was. apparently safe At about 8 p.m. the alarm was given but the- building was then beyond saving./ It was covered by a small amount jof insurance '.