YESTERDAY'S FIRE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5046, 6 April 1878, Page 2

YESTERDAY'S FIRE.

At about a quarter to nine o'clock yesterday morning one of Mr M'Yay's workmen discovered that a portion of the premises in which he was working, at the rear of Mr M'Vay's saddlery shop in Hastings-street, was on fire, and he immediately gave the alarm. It was found that the upper part of the building, which is of galvanised iron, and in which waß stored rye straw used in the manufacture of collars, was burning ; a volume of smoke was issuing from the roof, and to all appearance a seriouß conflagration was threatened. The alarm bell was rung, and in a very few minutes the Fire Brigade turned out with the manual and steam fire engines, both of which were quickly run to the scene of the fire. Previously to the arrival of the brigade good service had been rendered by a number of persons, principally consisting of the employe's of Mr M'Vay and of Messrs Neal and Close, all of whom worked very heartily in endeavoring to prevent the flames breaking through. They procured water in buckets from the adjoining premises, and mounting on the roof of Messrs Neal and Close's back store, they thi*ew the water over the heated roof of the building that was on fire, and by their exertions they kept the flames under. The manual engine having been connected with the fire plug opposite Mr M'Vay's shop, two lengths of hose were carried through Mr Morrison's yard, and two jets were brought to play on the burning building. A hole was cut in the iron wall, through which the hose branch was inserted, and a considerable volume of water was poured on the burning straw. The steam fire engine, which drew its supply of water from the saltwater well in the yard of the Union Bank, was also brought to bear upon the fire. The effect was at once apparent ; the flames quickly subsided, and all danger of

he fire extending was at an end. Some lelay occurred in connecting the hose with the high-pressure water supply, the Corporation turncock being at the time smployed at Battery Point, and his presence was necessary before recourse!:could be had to the high-pressure service. ' The fire was in fact all but extinguished, and orders had been given by the Superintendent of the Brigade to disconnect, before that service was put to use, and ' even then it was twelve or fifteen minutes before the water rose to the required height. On opening the doorof the store after the fire had been extinguished, it was found that the wood-work was very much charred some of the frame-work being quite burned through ; but most of the straw was untouched by the fire, " though saturated with the water that had been poured upon it. The straw had been in the building over nine months, and consequently was closely pressed down, and thus was less liable to catch the flames than if it had been loose. Very great praise is due to the Fire : Brigade for their well-directed and ener-. getic services. They worked with admirable discipline, and afforded another proof of their value to the community. The origin of the fire is involved in mystery. The straw, as we have said* had been on the premises many months, and was so thoroughly dry that it seems scarcely probable that it could have become ignited by heating. It was not a place easy of access, and the only man working in the lower part of the building had not been in the loft— where the fire • broke out, and to which it was confined — that morning ; he had not been at work at all the previous day. Accidents of this kind frequently occur through the carelessness of smokers, and just now that we are having such an extended period odry weather, persons should be very caret ful that they do not give cause for whamight become a most serious conflagraf tion.