HEAVY FIRE LOSS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22440, 22 September 1947, Page 4

HEAVY FIRE LOSS

CITY OUTBREAK SIX FIRMS^AFFECTED SUDDEN BURST OF FLAMES (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Sept 22. Fire which broke out about 11 a.m. on Saturday destroyed part of the top floor of a three-story brick and concrete building at 551 Colombo street, in the centre of the city. There was little warning of the fire, but suddenly the whole of the top floor was a mass of flames which snot up > 30 feet above the roof. Seven engines had the fire under control after an hour and a quarter of strenuous work. The building was owned by Mr O. E. Duncan, of Orchardists Cool Stores. There is an insurance cover for £12,000 on the building and refrigerating plant. The building was occupied by six firms, ail of which suffered loss by fire or water. The northern end of the top floor was completely destroyed. Two firms which occupied this part suffered severley. A full stock of radio and electrical equipment owned by Arnold and Wright, Limited was destroyed. Machinery and * goods valued at mere than £2OOO on the premises of Mr David Cook, manufacturer, were burned. The goods included rayon articles and silk frocks. The third firm on the top floor, C. W. Cooper, Limited, cardboard box manufacturers. suffered damage by water as did the stocks of British Leathercratis. Limited.' and A. Turner and Company, merchants. The water was still three inches deep an hour after the fire was out. The most serious loss was suffered by the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, which had large stocks of sprays and orchard equipment in store on the ground floor. The total value was put: at £IO,OOO. All the material was affected by water to some extent, and it is doubtful if the arsenate of lead, copper sulphate, hydrated lime and other sprays will be usable. Fruit wrapping paper worth £IOOO was reduced to sodden pulp. Twenty constables were needed to control the crowd and the Colombo street trams were disorganised for ( nearly an hour.