TAINUI STREET FIRE

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 August 1934, Page 5

TAINUI STREET FIRE

MAYO’S SHOP DESTROYED Not discovered until the flames had a decisive hold, a fire shortly after midnight last night destroyed the twostoreyed wooden building in Tainui Street, containing six Tooms, owned and occupied as a confectionery shop and residence by Mrs. M. Mayo. The rapidity with which the fire developed possessed all the elements of a tragedy, had there been anyone in the residence on the top storey, but Mrs. Mayo and one of her daughters left yesterday for Christchurch, and the other two daughters were staying with friends at Karoro. When the confectionery business was closed last night, the premises appeared to be safe. Soon after midnight, however, Mr. V. Gilchrist, whose shop is four doors away, discovered that Mayo’s building was on fire, and he telephoned the alarm at 12.20 a.m. Before the brigade arrived, Mr. Gilchrist made his way to the verandah

of the burning building, fearing that some one might be in the upstairs rooms, but he was driven back by the smoke and flames.

The Fire Brigade, from the Central and High Street stations, made a quick turn-out, and connected three leads of hose to the main, but it was impossible to save Mayo’s building, the flames having too great a hold. Splendid work was done by the brigade, however, in preventing the spread of the fire to the adjoining buildings, the Drill Hall on one side, and the resi-l dence of Mrs. H. Orr, on the other. There was little or no wind blowing at the time, but the brigade had a difficult task, owing to the fact that the adjoining buildings were only about three feet away from that of Mrs. Mayo.

The winning card was the greatlyimproved water pressure available. Three leads were in use, and another could have been connected to the main, if necessary, without having to use the Dennis engine for pumping purposes. Superintendent P. Deere stated that it was impossible to save Mayo’s building, right from the time the alarm was given, and the only thing to do was to save the adjoining structures. Had it not been for the good water pressure, the whole block would probably have been burnt. It was a big improvement on the old pressure, and made all the difference in the world in fire-fighting. The brigadesmen could now stand off with the hoses, instead of having to take them right up to the fire, and get half roasted themselves in doing so. The recording apparatus at the Town Hall, inspected to-day, showed that, when the brigade began to fight the fire, there was a water-pressure of 114 lbs. to the square inch available, and the use of the three leads of hose reduced this to 95 lbs. per square inch. This latter was better than the pressure formerly available when a fire started.

It is not known definitely how the fire started, but it is believed to have originated in the sitting-room on the ground floor, at the rear of the premises, where there is a fireplace. The flames quickly made their way to the upper storey, and were bursting through the roof when the alarm was given. The side walls of the building, of corrugated iron, soon became redhot, and furniture was removed from the residence of Mrs. Orr, as a precautionary measure.

Several reports of an explosive nature were heard during the fire, probably being caused by the bursting of soda syphons. The insurances comprise the following:—Building, £5OO (£250 in the State Office and £250 in the New Zealand Office); stock, fittings, scales, and soda fountain, £515 in the Guardian Office; furniture and effects. £290 in the New Zealand Office;

total £1305. While thanks are due to those helpers who removed goods from the residence of Mrs. Orr, when it was menaced by the flames, one or more of the said helpers were not disinterested. The son of Mrs. Orr is now regretting the loss of three pairs of trousers, which were “salvaged and not returned to the owner.