FIRE IN MELBOURNE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8453, 2 December 1907, Page 7

FIRE IN MELBOURNE.

£60,000 WORTH DAMAGE. (By ~ Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) i ■ ' Per Tress Association * • MELBOURNE, December 1. A destructive fire started at 10 o'clock last night in Clark's, fancy goods importers, a five-storey warehouse in Elizabeth Street, adjoining the rear of the Commonwealth Telegraph and Money Order Offices.

The fire spread with tremendous rapidity, enveloping Wallach's large furniture warehouse, the Dux Cycle Works,' and a number of smaller placeß._ By an early hour this morning the brigades had obtained the mastery of the major portion, of Ihe fire. Clark's and Wal-, lach's warehouses were, practically ' gut-; ted, serious damage was done to the Commonwealth property, including the destruction of thousands of pounds' worth of telephone wire and materials. The various adjoining properties suffered severely. The whole city was brilliantly lighted and an immense concourse of people watched the fire. A crowded verandah opposite the outbreak collapsed, and several people were injured. The fire was the largest for twelve years, and the value of the property destroyed is close on £60,000. The official report states that the Postal Department lost £16,000 worth of material. It js feared that considerable public inconvenience will be caused by the loss of telephone instruments and wire.