FIRE IN PRINCES STREET.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7378, 3 February 1902, Page 2

FIRE IN PRINCES STREET.

A portion of Mr Ah Chang's premises in Princes street was gutted by fire early on Sunday. The alarm was J sounded about 2 o'clock, and by the time the Brigade, under Lieut. Wilson, arrived on the scene the fire had gained a good hold. It might have been a serious and widespread conflagration ' but for the stillness of the night and the fine exertions of the Brigade, and for some time it was a fierce fight between fire and water for the mastery. Eventually, the fine supply of water i available asserted itself, and the fire was subdued. It originated apparently in a svnall room at the back, which Mr Ah Chang used for a ripening room, and in which a gas ring was kept burning. So quickly did it spread that he and his family had barely time to get out on the verandah before the flames broke through the front window. All the baok part was gutted, and the front part, even where the flames did

[ not reach, was completely blackened by < the dense smoke. Included in the j stock burnt were some drums of oil,

some sulphur, and candles, and these aided the conflagration, and caused the smoke to be so black. The building is insured in the South British for L4OO, and the stock (his loss on which Mr Ah Chang reckons at 1.60) in the South British for £400 and the Commercial Union for L2OO. Fortunately, his main stock was in the front shop, and to this no damage was done except by water.

During the progress of the fire, Fireman Robioson had a narrow escape. He was on the second floor with the hydrant, when the floor went through. He bung to the hose till his comrades pulled him up again.

It is satisfactory to know that the Brigade will soon have a proper system of fire alarm. On Sunday morning, only very few people heard the bell, and the alarm had perforce to be discontinued through the breaking of one of the bell-ropes. Under the circumstances, the rally of the Brigade was smart, and the celerity with which they got to work was highly commendable.