FIRES.

Evening Star, Issue 10424, 20 September 1897, Page 2

FIRES.

Shortly after three o'clock on Sunday morning a fire broke out in a row of wooden shops in George street on the north side of Mr P. L. Jones's photographio studio, lb originated in the cellar of the premises of Mr H. Johnston, fishmonger, and when first discovered had a good hold of the shops on either Bide, occupied by Mr A. Binnie, wire worker and bird fancier, and Meßsrs Watson and Logie, butchers. The fire was discovered by Mr Hutton, hairdresser, who was awakened by the fumes of smoke, which were so heavy in his shop and residence that he and his family were almost suffocated. Mr Hutton at once gave the alarm from the Robert Burns Hotel indicator, and the brigade, under Captain Mitchell, were soon on the scene, and speedily got to work. The buildings were very old, and the brigade are to be complimented on having been successful in getting the flames under before the buildings were completely demolished. As it was, Messra Johnston's and Binnie's shops were almost completely destroyed, and Messrs Watson and Logie's was very much damaged. The fire wa3 chiefly in the portions of the premises below the level of the street. In these quarters a clean sweep, was made. The piles and floor joists are very much damaged, some of them being almost burned through, whilst the floor of the butcher's shop has appreciably sunk. The damage done is of such a nature that it will probably entail the rebuilding of the whole block. Mr Johnston's stock, which was uninsured, was completely destroyed. Mr Binnie's stock was insured for £IOO, but this sum will not compensate him for his loss. Included in Mr Binnie's stock were a fine lot of canaries, and these were all killed by the Brooke. Messrs Watson and Logie were insured for £l2O in the Alliance Office, and estimate their loss at £39 over and' above that amount. The buildings are the property of Mr Charles Foster, and are insured in the New Zealand Office for £3OO. INVERCARGILL, September 20. A fire broke out between four and five o'clock this morning in the shop of John Wilson, grocer, Tay street,' which was practically destroyed. The stock was insured for £SOO with the Commercial Union. The building is owned by an absentee, for whom Dalgety and Co. are agents, and was insured for £I,OOO with the North British. It is probably damaged to the extent of £2OO. Somewhat singularly a fire broke out in the shop when tenanted by Sheffield and Co. some years ago in the same spot, and also on Sunday morning. Twelve cases of kerosene had the wood burned off, but the tins held good and no oil escaped.