FIRE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 12090, 1 November 1933, Page 5

FIRE

SERIOUS OUTBREAK IN CHRISTCHURCH. (Press AssucTationl CHRISTCHURCH. Oct. 31. A fire broke out late to-night in a four storey building in Hereford Street, in the heart of the cit-.v. The building was occupied by 3-5 tenants chief among them boisig Chandler and Co., advertisiiio- agents 8 . and Weston Bros., leather merchants. The owners are Mae Gibbons Buildings Ltd. The alarm was received by the brigade at 10-o0 and when it arrived at- the fire a few, moments later the top floor of the building was ablaze, and it was at once apparent that the ’brigade would not be able to extinguish the flames easily or speedily. Indeed, against the efforts of the firemen, the flames spread rapidly at the back of the building. The me soon involved all floors and the roof fell. At the front of the building the firemen were able to keen a measure of control and there the lower floors have not been actually consumed. At a few minutes before midnight, the fire was still burning strongly, and it seems inevitable that the "'hole block will be destroyed with all its contents. The building is of brick' and concrete with wooden floors. It was recently re-roofed with wood and iron and occupies the whole space between the New Zealand Express Company’s seven-storeyed premises and the new T. and 0. Insurance offices. At tlie back the building destroyed is of four storeys, and a.t the front one section is of four and tlie other of three storeys. Protect yourself against losses by fire by insuring with the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society, Ltd— W. Lissant Clayton.