FIRE AMONG TIRES

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 32, 9 February 1929, Page 10

FIRE AMONG TIRES

CUBA STREET OUTBREAK

GOOD SAVE EFFECTED

Smoke helmets had-to be used at a fire which broke out among a large quantity of tires in the basement of Brunner'a Building, 49-55, : Cuba street, last night. The Fire Brigade received the call at 12.45 a\m., and on arrival at the scene of the outbreak, found the lower part of the building enveloped in thick smoke. The location of the fire made the work of suppressing it very difficult, and it was found necessary to-break in through an upholstery factory fronting on Pringle avenue to.get a lead into the basement. Another lead waa taken in from Cuba street, but it was a considerable time before the scat of the flames among large bales of tires could bo reached, and four hours elapsed before the outbreak was completely suppressed. The work of the brigadesmen, under DeputySuperintendent T. B. Clark, was not carried out without considerable danger to them, in the smoke-filled basement, mid credit must be given to them for effecting a good save.

In addition to the basement, there are throe stories in the building, which is of brick. It is owned by the Mary Kennedy estate. The basement and part of the ground floor were occupied by B. W. Pigeon and Co., Ltd., tire merchants, who had only been in occupation for a few days. A large quantity of tiros in the basement was damaged by fire and water, and the balance of the stock was affected by heat and water. The company's stock and contents on the ground floor were damaged by heat and smoke, and the stock and contentsin the premises, occupied by Edison Depot Phonographs, Ltd., on the same floor were similarly damaged. The occupants of the first floor were Eobert Malcolm, Ltd., and A. A. Corrigan and Co., Ltd., both indent agents and merchants. Malcolm's carpet stock was damaged by heat and smoke, and Corrigan and Co.'s soft goods stock was affected by smoke. The stock-in-trade of Fluenzol, Ltd., on the second floor was also slightly damaged by smoke. ■ . ■

No insurances are at present available.

The acrid smoke from the burning tires proved too much for several of the brigadesmen, and their places had to be taken by others from the three engines which attended the outbreak. ■None of them, however, was seriously affected.