DAMAGE BY FIRE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 70, 20 September 1927, Page 10

DAMAGE BY FIRE

—:— $ „ BLAZE IN TORY STREET TWO SMALLER OUTBREAKS Fire gutted a two-story wood and iron building at 9D, Tory street, early last evening, doing several thousands of pounds' worth of damage. Tho building was owned by Messrs. Thomson, Lewis, and Co., whoso premises are next door, and was occupied by Messrs. Groves and Ryan, motor engineers, Messrs. DigbyE. Perrett and Co., Ltd., timber merchants and box manufacturers, and the Boyal Ancient Order of Buffaloes.

Tho structure is about 70 feet deep, with a frontage of 35 feet on Tory street. The Buffalo Lodge occupied all the top floor, and the other firms were on the ground floor. Tho fire, to which the brigade received a call at 7.2 C o'clock, apparently broke out in the back portion of the building, which is occupied by Messrs. Perrett and Co. Here a large quantity of timber was stored. Tho flames spread through the roof into the offices of the secretary of the lodge, Mr. A. Bradbury, who was in at the time. Noticing smoke coming through the floor, he at onco went across th' road and gavo the alarm, but when he returned the fire had such a good hold that it was impossible for him to regain his office, where all the records were kept. Soon the building waß a seething mass of flame, which spread scores of feet above the roof, and provided a great spectacle for the many hundreds of onlookers who had gathered by this time. All the lodge furniture and fittings, which included a piano and some valuable carved oak, as well as a quantity of regalia that had recently been imported from England, were destroyed. Their total value would be at least £450, but the loss will be somewhat compensated for by a policy of £300 in the Gnardiau Office.

On the ground floor the fire wrought even greater havoc, all the stock and machinery in Messrs. Perrett and Co.'s premises being destroyed. Nino motor vehicles wero in Messrs. Groves and Ryan's garage, but six of theso were removed by a son of the lieonseo of the Dominion Hotel, which is next door, and another man. Two motor-cars and a two-ton truck chassis were, however, destroyed, an.d most of the machinery and fittings were ruined. There is a policy of £500 in the British Traders' Office on. tho stock and fittings-of the garage, and of £300 in the Eagle Star Office on those of Messrs. Perrett and Co. A further policy of £100- in the latter office is held on the plant and machinery of the box factory. Tho building itself is insured for £1500 in the Eoyal Insuranco Co.

Damage by fire was also done to the rooms of Messrs. P. Laurenson and Co., manufacturers' agents, on the second floor of a four-story brick building at 30, Cuba street. The building is owned by Mrs. Balcombe Brown, of Upper Hutt, who is at present in England, and the ground, first, and third floors are occupied by the National Cash Eegister Co. Messrs. Laurenson lost a large quantity of recently-arrived samples, and smoke and water also caused some loss on the other floors. The outbreak occurred just before 7 p.m. At 6.9 p.m. the brigade received a call to the premises of Messrs. E. W. Mills and Co. ,Jervois quay, where a 'orlorry inside tho building was :e. The flames were soon subdued, th aly damage done being to the woodwork of tho vehicle.