TIRE AT SHEFFIELD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5952, 24 March 1880, Page 6

TIRE AT SHEFFIELD.

At about ba'f-past one on Monday morning a building occupied as an office by Mr Kitso, Engineer of the Malvern Water Race, was discovered to be on fire. It appears that Mrs Brown, wife of Mr J. Brown, timber merchant, who resides near the railway station, Sheffield, was startled by the reflection of a bright glare of fire on the window. Upon informing her son, William, whohad retired to rest soma two houra before, of the: circumstances, he looked out and saw flames issuing from the building indicated. Heat once seized an axe and rushed across, hoping to be able to save some of the furniture, &0., which Mr Bitso had stored in the building. Upon reaching it, however, he at once saw that all attempts at saving any of the property would be futile, the building being one mass of flames Inside. .The neighbours having by this time been aroused, a large j number ware speedily upon the spot, but, as before stated, nothing could be doiiebut watch the devouring flames in their work of destruction. In an incredibly short space of time the whole of the building (a two storey one, which had formerly as a store) was levelled to the ground, and at half-pa«t two nothing was left of it but a heap of smouldering ruins. Those who were first on the spot stale , that the doors and windows ' appeared perfectly secure, with, the exception of a broken square of glass in one of the front windows. The origin of the fire is at present unknown, and, pending an official inquiry it would be absurd to hazard a conjecture. Mr Ritso it appears, had a large quantity of furniture, some valuable instruments, and a number of books, plans, records, &c:, stored in the building. His loss is considerable (tome £l5O or £200), and, as may be conjectured, in. the case of books, plans, and records can never be replaced, , Mr Eitso, who had been in the building during the afternoon of Sunday, left it in company with a man who had been engaged in sweeping it out, at about five p,m, and -jjtatcs that everything was, then apparently secure. Constable Warren was on the spot all yesterday, but, as. yet, no clue has. been obtained as to the origin of the fire.