FIRE OUTBREAKS

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 December 1926, Page 2

FIRE OUTBREAKS

HOKITIKA HOTEL BLAZE. (Per Press Assockltibil.) YIOKITIKA, December 4. The ‘Commercial Hotel, J. L. Fowler licensee, a large wooden two Stblhjr building in Revell St-.j Xvh& Completely destroyed b.y fir’e at one o clock this moillittg, piractically all the contents. bfeing destroyed, and the inttlatek getting out in night attire. The fire apparently started in the middle of the building, and had a good hold when the alarm was given. AUCKLAND OPERA HOUSE; AUCKLAND; .ttecbfiikr 4; Fire brokfe blit fil. Euilbb.’k Op’eiA House shortly alter brevefi b’cloblt last fevbhihg, dltbibhtba to a fuse blowing Out ill a switchboard behind the stage, igniting the curtain from which the flames c uickly spread to the upper portion of the Theatre. The fire secured such a firm hold that in a few minutes part of the building was like a furnace. With the burning of the roof, tons of debris were hurled into the body of the theatre. The major portion of the building was left in a state of practically complete destruction. . The difficulties of the firthieil U’tite increased owing to the cliai-aictei- bl lite building, hiid blife bf tiled- tilskk IvilS to coniine tiin ftifihb§.l'o thfe iippbr part, but the rteSflit bf this was that a constant shower of burning timber and 'dislodged fittings rained into the auditorium, necessitating a detachment of firemen to extinguish minor outbreaks caused in this way. Exposed to this shower, and working in a stifling atmosphere of smoke, the task of the men detailed for this duty Was lilt from enviable. Several leads bl lioite were played over the Foot, wliitfe the operation of byoakiiig opbii the lite bS; Cape doqrt of the .Upp'er horlibii oi the building proceeded. This proved SdiUewhat difficult owing to the stout construction of the blocked doors, and it was ten minutes before it could be accomplished. The leads were transferred through the openings thus made, with noticeable effect bit the (lames. in an hour's hard lighting, the Brigade SUCCebdpd in bringing completely Uhder control a fire that threatened to bh a serious menace to the adjoining buildings. So quickly did the flames spread after the curtain became ablaze, that three persons within the building, w. A. Singe, stage manager, Mrs Singe, and Diamond, a scenic artist, had barely time to escape. In getting out, Diamond received burns on, the arms and Singe was severely shaken by the experience. “A fuse blew out on No 2 board, the second board from the front,” said Singe, “and before we knew where we were, flames had spread to what we call the “Flies,” and caught the curtain. Everything happened so suddenly that the whole place seemed to go up in flames. I tried to run out a lead of hose, but had no time, so I rushed out and gave the alarm.” Examination of the building showed that the stage and its precincts, and the family circle suffered most severely from the flames. The dress circle was extensively damaged by water, but the flames did not spread to that portion, nor to the stalls. The walls of the building are brick, and this checked the development of the fire. The staircase remained intact, enabling the firemen to reach the seat of the fire expeditiously, although difficulty was experienced in subduing the flames in -the roof. The fire in that portion of the building blazed for over two hours. Most of the members of the Midnight Frolics Company had their property stored under the stage, but the full extent of the loss is not yet known. Water would cause the chief damage in that vicinity. At. least, some members of the company did not have their property insured.