FIRE AT STRANGE’S

Hokitika Guardian, 4 January 1921, Page 4

FIRE AT STRANGE’S

MILLINERY STOCKS DAMAGED

CHRISTCHURCH, Jan 3. Firo in the millinery department of j Strange’s establishment in High Street i last evening completely gutted the work room, and much damage was done by ! smoke to the stock on two floors. The outbreak, the origin of which is unknown, was quickly subdued by the brigade. Insurances and the amount of the damage done were not available last evening. Heavy smoke curling out of the first-

floor windows at about 6.13 p.m. attracted tbe attention of Police-Sergt. King who at once gave tho alarm fiom the Lichfield Street box. The brigade under Deputy-Superintendent Blake, were promptly on the scene with three motor-reels and a ladder. Entrance was effected from the fire-escapes at the Lichfield Street end of the block, where the fire was found to be seated, and leads of hose were got into play on the first and second floors. ' Much difficulty in combating the heat and smoko was experienced by the fire men. When the brigade arrived vol-

nines of thick black smoke were pouring out of the skylights of the block, and out of the High Street windows, beneath which a large crowd had assembled. The small millinery workroom at the rear of full of higlily-in--11 amm able goods and lined with match boarding, was an inferno of heat and

smoHe > and here, apparently the lire had it’s origin. Flaring up quickly, it ha,d gone through tho ceiling to the boot-repairing shop and the employees library on the top floor. Both floors, in consequence were filled with smoke, which proved almost too much for the men as they dragged the leads round the approaches to the workrooms. Halt an hour of strenuous work, however, < saw the outbreak quelled, though the brigade remained on the premises for some time after. Considerable damage was done to the millinery stock on the two floors by smoke, though the damage by fire was small. Down on the first floor, the costume and mantle department suffered to a considerable extent by water, but tho larger and most valuable part of the stock escaped damage. The heat on the floor above caused the paint to curl up and drop off the ceiling, but apart from that the appointments of the showroom were undamaged. The millinery workj room, of course, was completely gutted, j and several plateglass show-cases neai- , by were cracked and broken by the ! heat. The fire had burnt through the ceiling, and tongues of flame had flicked | the library walls, cracking the binding of everp volume. The boot repair shop alongside had also suffered considerably. No estimate of tho amount of damage, however, was available last evening. The origin of the fire is unknown. 1 The premises had been closed sinco FriI day evening, and at the time the fire was discovered the night watchman had not gone on duty. The alarm was given just in time. Had tho lire remained unnoticed a little longer, it would have leaped a ten-foot wall to another block of buildings—from window to window. Inside its own block, no time was allowed the outbreak to spread much beyond the millinery workroom and tho boot repair shop.

“Danger is the spur of all great minds.”—Chapman. Kven in warm weather there lurks the danger of influenza, bronchitis, coughs and colds, and this should spur wise folk io the necessity of keeping Baxter’s Lung Preserver always handy. This sterling, time-tested remedy—so ri h, soothing and tonieal—is always an eacious antidote for lung and chest •bles. Invaluable also for child,.l s ailments—they like it’s pleasant and its soothing qualities. Your civ'mist or grocer sells Baxter’s Lung 1 reserver in large 2s 6d bottles.