THE WELLINGTON FIRE.
WELLINGTON, April 29.
It turnß out that there were no buokets or hoses to be found in the Post Office when tbe fire was first discovered. Both the telephone clerk and a policeman hunted for them in vain, and had there been a few buckets Policeman Reddell is confident that he could have materially cheoked the spread of the flames up the lift. It was this lift apparently which caused the spread of the flames through the top storey in so unaccountable a manner. The cardinal mistake the firemen made was la not going to the top of the building, round the roof of which substantial platforms ran. This is precisely the error that was made at the last fire, and but for which Johnston's bond would not have suffered. Secretary Gray tried in vain to obtain a ladder to reach his room at the far end of the top Btorey. The loss in the Telegraph Office is estimated at L 1.500. A number of private persons lose valuable books, etc., and all were uninsured. The building was 172 ft long and 72ft deep. The original tender was for L 17,000, but eventually the amount was increased to L 22.444. The fittings cost about L 4,000. The clock tower was 185 ft high,
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Bibliographic details
Evening Star, Issue 7199, 29 April 1887, Page 2
Word Count
216THE WELLINGTON FIRE. Evening Star, Issue 7199, 29 April 1887, Page 2
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