Big Fire in Wellington.

Hastings Standard, Issue 341, 7 June 1897, Page 3

Big Fire in Wellington.

THE GREATEST BLAZE FOR YEARS. [By Telegraph.] (/'<■>• /Vi« As.<i Wellington, This day. On Saturday night a fire broke out in one of the largest establishments in Wellington, that of P. Hayman and Co., dealers in fancy goods and crockery, besides numerous other articles, embracing almost everything required in. the trade. The building, which wasafeont the first built on the Te Am reclamation, was of four storeys, constructed of brick, and faced Victoria street, running back a considerable distance towards Willis street. It is believed that the origin was in some crates of crockery in the third flat at the rear of the building, which was only approached by a narrow lane off another lane, and tbe windows of which were protected by heavy iron doors, all safely secured from inside. This considerably hampered the work of the brigade, as they could only work from the front, and the water appeared to have but little effect. It was not long before the flames had licked through the roof and extending high in the air, lit up the whole town. Thousands of people were at all points of vantage, but the work of the brigade was in no way interfered with. The brigade fought all they knew, but as the building was one with no brick partitions and they could practically only reach it from the front, their efforts were of very little avail, and the fire, there not being a breath of wind, burnt itself out, nothing but the four walls standing and these are none too safe. Nothing whatever of the stock was saved. The fire was the moat disastrous here for years. Hay man and Co., had a stock valued at about £BO,OOO, and with the loss on the building estimate their loss at £IO.OOO above the insurances, which are as follows :—Building? £'2ooo in the Commercial Union, £IOOO in the Victoria, £SOO in the Royal, £SOO in the Standard, £SOO in the National. Fittings : £IOOO in the Commercial Union. St:-;k : £2OOO in the Commercial Un: n, £2OOO in tbe Victoria, £6OOO in th « Royal, £IOOO in the Standard, £IOOO in the Loudon, Liverpool and Globe, £ISOO in the National, £2500 in the Alliance, £4OOO in the South British. £IOOO in the Guardian, £IOOO in the North British. Total, £'27,000. Later. Extra insurance on Hayman's in the United £IOOO. About £SOOO worth of jewellery was found in the safe in the strong room bat it was slightly damaged with water. The brigade acted as salvagemen yesterday and took out of the ruins a few iron bedsteads, but these seem all that is worth recovery. Notwithstanding that thousands of tons of water were poured into the place the walls are burnt completely bare. Tbe police are stationed in front of the building to keep tne people off as the walls are expected to come down any moment. Water is still playing on the ruins. At a meeting of 34 members of the local Underwriters' Association a committee representing the companies interested was appointed to adjust matters in connection with the stock and building of Hayman and Co. Nothing has been decided as to whether an enquiry will be held.