DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN MELBOURNE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1634, 12 March 1866, Page 3

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN MELBOURNE.

(From the Argus, Feb. 20.) A fire, by which a large amount of valuable property has been destroyed, broke out yesterday afternoon, at about a quarter to two o'clock, in the back portion of the extensive premises of Messrs. Beauchamp and Rocke, auctioneers, 38 and 40 Collins-street east. These premises have a large frontage to Collins-street, aud are bounded on the west side by the Bank of Victoria, and on the east by a lane along their whole depth, which extends to Flinders lane. The main building is of brick, and abuts on the lane mentioned, and between the west wall of this and the bank an iron roof had been thrown across, and a large show room of about eighty feet by forty enclosed. Then a long bnilding, constructed of wood, with a corrugated iron roof, stretched from the back of this showroom for about 100 ft. towards Flinders lane, and at the end of this is situated a gasfitter's and smith's shop. There are other buildings upon the block; but these are all to which it is necessary to make reference in connection with the fire. The existence of a fire was first observed by some boys on the premises, who were at play during their dinner hour in the mattress room, situated at the extreme end of the long back building, towards Flinders-lane, and contiguous to the smith's shop. A large quantity of picked cocoanut-fibre was lying loosely in this place, and the boys say that, while playing on a trapeze swung from one of the ceiling joists, they observed this material in a blaze. They run out, and gave the alarm, and a messenger was despatched to the Town-hall, where he arrived just after the fire had been seen from the tower. The fire brigade immediately started for the fire, which they were told was in Flinders-lane. On arriviug at the front of the place they turned down the lane, got their hose attached and commenced playing upon the fire, which by this time was advancing rapidly along the building in which it originated. An immense quantity of chairs and iron bedsteads in cases, the latter goods packed in straw, and also rolls of cocoanu matting, and other combustible articles were* 1 stored in this building, and the fire having started at the southern end, which was to windward, quickly made its way towards the front premises. Seeing that this was the cas«, some of the firemen, under the direction of Superintendent Hoad, took some of the hose round to the front, and conducted it through the building in the endeavour to arrest the further advance of the flames by meeting them in front. However, before these preparations were effected the fire had assumed formidable proportions, and under the influence of the strong draught, aided by the wind, and confined by the iron roof, it formed a sort of immense reverberatory furnace, the flames of which were driving into the front premises. The firemen at length got 2000 feet of hose laid on, and eight streams of water! to bear upon the fire at different parts, and in the space of about three-quarters of hour the Yan Yean got the upper hand of the flames, which, however, were not thoroughly extinguished for a long while after. At one time it was found that the fire was penetrating under the floor of the large front store, on which an opening was made through the flooring, a hose passed down, and a jet brought to play around underneath. The quantity of water thrown upon the fire from so many jets for so long a time must have been immense, and portions of the premises were quite flooded. When the flames had been got under, and leisure was allowed to look around, the great extent of the damage became evident. Messrs. Beauchamp and Rocke estimate the property upon their premises at £20,000, and it was insured in various offices to the amount of £11,000. The goods in the back buildings suffered the most, a very large quantity being entirely destroyed, and it is quite impossible by looking at the piles of charred, partially burned, or scorched cases, to form any opinion as to the value of what remains. There are immense heaps of iron bedsteads, all warped and twisted by the fire, and with their cases and packing burned away from them. The roof of this part has almost wholly fallen in, and the whole building is a wreck. Further on towards the front there are large piles of tables, chairs, sofas, and other large articles of furniture, which have sustained various degrees of damage. In the large room adjoining the wall of the bank, a very large quantity of valuable property has sustained a great deal of damage from the fire (by which the back partition of this part was altogether destroyed), the water, the smoke, and breakage from the hurried removal of a large portion of it to the street, and its reconveyance to the store. Heaps of chairs, tables, chests of drawers, sofas, pictures, &c., were at one time carried out in the street to remove them beyond the reach of the fire. In fact, it is impossible, from a mere survey of the extensive scene of ruin which the fire has left, and the scorched and blackened appearance of the probable value of the salvage. The damage will, it is thought, very far exceed the amount of insurance, but this opinion at present is but conjectural. It is to be regretted the building in which so large an amount of valuable and combustible property was collected, was not better adapted to contain it with safety. With regard to the origin o£ the fire, nothing positive has yet been ascertained. As before stated, the place where it was first observed was in the immediate vicinity of a blacksmith's shop, and it was thought possible that a spark from the forge chimney may have been the cause. But it is hard to : see how a spark could have made its way to the interior of the building, and it was in the midst of the dinner-hour, while the forge was idle, that the fire originated. The suppositions were also mooted, that _ it arose from the boys mentioned playing with fire or smoking, or from a fire used to heat a glue

pot, but it does not appear that any of these conjectures rest upon any known facts. The coroner's inquiry, which will probably be held within a day or two, may avail to cast some light on the subject. A man named Hill, storeraan to Messrs. Beauchamp and Rocke, who lived in a small wooden structure at the rear of the premises had but just time to rescue his wife and three young children, who were lying ill from scarlet fever, before the place with the whole of his household property was involved in the flames. At a late hour last night the couple of firemen who were left in charge of the place found it necessary occasionally to throw water on the still smoking ruins.