FIRE OUTBREAKS

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 July 1929, Page 5

FIRE OUTBREAKS

/ MISSION WINE CELLARS. (Per Press Assooiatlou ) • NAPIER, July 30. Fire completely destroyed two wine cellars at the Mount St. Mary’s Mission Station, Greenmeadows, four miles from Napier, to-night, and destroyed nearly 24,000 gallons. The Napier Fire Brigade was called to the scene about 7.30, half an hour after the outbreak, but the task was hopeless from the beginning. The only water to be had was from a creek 300 yards away from the seat of the outbreak. The flames had such a hold when the brigade began operations, that all attempts proved fruitless, and attention was successfully turned to the saving of the adjoining building. The outbreak is believed to have had its beginning in the fusing of an electric wire in the ceiling of one of the cellars. The flames consumed the roof, which collapsed and then the barrels holding the wine took fire. When barrels of wine burst out, it formed a stream that flowed out into the roadways. A quantity of the wine was bottled and cased, and the straw fed the flames. It is understood that the insurances on the buildings and wine, which are held by the United Office, not nearly cover the loss. The Mission is conducted by the Marist Fathers, and is well known for its grape growing and wine manufacturing. LETTER BOX OUTRAGE, CHRISTCHURCH, July 30. An attempt was made to burn the Shirley Post Office last night, blazing paper being placed in a letter box. Some letters were charred. . DAMAGE AT TIMARU. "riMARU, July 29. Damage estimated at over £2OOO was done by a fire which broke out at 4.10 o’clock this morning in a block of buildings in Stafford Street, Timaru, occupied by the National Electrical Engineering Company, Ltd., and Messrs G. H. Nicholas and Co. The latter firm, who are tractor agents, and who also run a battery service station, are the chief losers. The fire apparently began on the top floor, occupied by the National Electrical Company, where electrical fittings, valued at about £BO, for the St. Mary’s schoolroom, and tile National Mortgage and Agency Company’s new premises, were destroyed. Messrs G. H. Nicholas and Co.’s workshop, also on the top floor, was destroyed, car accessqries, battery and tractor fittings and parts being totally destroyed. A billiard-room adjoining, owned by Nicholas and Co., and leased by Mr A. Begg, was also badly damaged.

CHCH. YEAR’S TOTAL. CHRISTCHURCH, July 30. The twenty-second annual report of the Superintendent of the Christchurch Fire Board, dated April 1, states that the total number of calls received was 321. Of these, 176 were for actual fires in or on property, 15 were chimney fires, 33 were rubbish, grass, and hedge fires, and 97 were false alarms, of which 73 were given maliciously. ;

Fires were classified as follow: — Trifling damage 129 f . slight damage 30, considerable damage 17.