PAINT-SHOP FIRE

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 June 1937, Page 7

PAINT-SHOP FIRE

ADJOINING PREMISES SAVED Although the fire which broke out about 3.20 o’clock yesterday afternoon in the premises of Mr. L. M. Carruthers, paint merchant, Albert Street, bad a good hold when the alarm was given, the Fire Brigade, aided by a strong pressure of water, soon had it under control, and the blaze was practically confined to the paint shop, and the living quarters at the rear. Due to the inflammable nature ot the stock in the paint shop, the fire spread far more rapidly than would have been uie case if it had been only the building The. flames shot through the roof almost as soon as the ala'rm was given,. and the interior of the shop was quickly razed. Both Mr. Carruthers and his assistant were absent from the shop at the time, and an open fire, in the office and storeroom immediately behind the shop, is blamed for the outbreak. The adjoining shops of Mrs. P. 1 eters, dressmaker and Mr. L. G. Mercer, delicatessen, oir the north and south sides respectively, were menaced by the flames, and would have undoubtedly been destroyed, if the fire had not quickly been put under control. As it was, the damage .in these two premises was sngnt, being mainly from water and smoke, and from debris falling through a broken skylight in Mr. Mercer’s shop. All of the shops affected are- owned by Mr. W. Hill, architect, who holds an insurance of £3OO on the shop occupied by Mr. Carruthers. The entire stock of the paint shop was destroyed. Tin 1 insurance cover on the stock was £2OO, and £35 on the fittings. The occupiers of the livingquarters at the rear, Mr. and Mrs. N. M. Rivers, had their furniture and effects damaged, and are not covered by insurance.

WANGANUI OPERA HOUSE

(per press association.]

WANGANUI. June 24.

A fire, this morning, caused considerable damage to the Municipal Opera House, a wooden building erected in 1899, and' opened by Bland Holt. The outbreak started in the sweets stall at the rear of the dress circle. It spread rapidly along the sarking under the iron roof, and when the brigade arrived, the. building was burning from end to end. Large quantities of water were poured into the building, the seating in the circle being littered with plaster, cinders, etc., and thoroughly saturated. Apart from the roof and' portions of the upper weather boarding, the structural damage in other parts was not great. The stage, scenery, curtain, etc. are intact. The building is insured for £2.250, and the accessories for £1055. The building was used last evening for the Blomfield—Rumberg wrestling bout. '