FIRES

Evening Star, Issue 18331, 19 July 1923, Page 3

FIRES

SECOND BLAZE,

On Tuesday afternoon tho Wellington Fire Brigade was called upon to quell a slight oiilbieak in a shop occupied by Mr A. L. Spiers, vulcaniser, and owned by the proprietors of the Artcraft Theatre. Despite tho fact of the presence of a large amount of inflammable ma.terial, the tiro was suppressed. Last evening a second fire occurred. When the brigade arrived the interior of the building was a mass of dames, and black smoke was belching from every window. In an hour’s time (lie brigade had managed to check the fire and prevent it from spreading, and then succeeded in suppressing it. Tho whole premises were completely gutted. Mr Spiers says that he was holding a match while doing sonic work. It burnt his lingers, and lie dropped it on tho door, tho vulcanising solution igniting. Tho insurance amounted to £1,925.

WHITC'OMBE AND TOMBS,

A fire, occurred at 10 o’clock last night in Messrs WTiitcomlie ami Tombs’s largo book and stationery establishment in Cashel street, Christchurch. The beat of tho fiic, which had a good hold, was at tho cash desk in the rear portion of the shop. The brigade made a splendid save. It- was impossible to assess the damage, but the lire brigade superintendent states that the loss by the destruction of the big plategiass windows ami the damage to the. stock and fittings will run into hundreds of pounds.