FIRES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9452, 29 March 1913, Page 5

FIRES.

BUILDING GUTTEJD IN AUCKLAND,

loss tattoo.

(Peb Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 29. A tire about four this morning gutted a four-storey block of brick building*, known ;ts "Kndean's," Lower Queen street, overlooking the harbour. The origin was apparently in the vicinity •f the grilj room of the Harbour View Restaurant on the second floor.

The flames spread with amazing rapidity, and when the brigade arrived two minutes .ifter the alarm ever} flom was ablaze. The whole ot the structure was gutted by fire, with the exception of the ground Boor, •\lierc the damage was considerable owing > tlie deluge of water and the debris from ilie upper floors. The building was occupied by about twenty-five tenant*, the principal being the Pacific Club. The loss is roughly estimated at £30,000. The insurances on the building* were JSI7.OOC in six offices. The caretaker and firemen had rough work. Several sustained injuries, mostly of i minor nature, except a man named Bris ow. who waa rather Jbadlv hurt by the fall I a lift. THE CAUSE A MYSTERY. AUCKLAND, March 29. The cause of the outbreak of fire in Endean's block is a mystery. A constable saw smoke pouring from the windows at the back of the block on the town side, ''loser ins|»oction revealed that the flames ud a good hold on the first floor. Almost simultaneously the caretaker was iwakened by the crackling. He ;iave the darm. In this brief interval the flames, by way of the lift well, raged through tho vliole building to the roof, through which hey burst, illuminating the countrv for miles. THE CARETAKER'S LUCK.

Mr Simpson Steward, of the Pacific Club. \\\o sleeps on the top flat, had some luck in getting out by the fire escape. When the brigade arrived the building vas blazing from end to end. They got to vork with the Dennis pump, which threw ■'5.000 gallons of salt water from the sea ront to the top storey, but their only liopo was to prevent the file spreading. At the end of an hour and a-half they 'iad the fire under control. sTAIHWAY FALLS WITH FIREMEN. The walk stcx»d well, but will have to l>o pulled down and rebuilt. A stairway fell while Deputy Wilson and Firemen Scott, Briscoe, and Elinslcv were operating over a >aniiister on the first floor. It iet them fall through on to the landing below. None vere seriously hurt. THE INSURANCES. HOW THEY ARE HELD. AUCKLAXD. March 29. The insurances on Hie buildings are as follows:Alliance £6OOO National £2OOO Phoenix £I7OO Standard £2OOO Royal ... . £2300 Liverpool, London & Globe £3OOO The tenants" insurances are as follows: Hallabv and Co., butchers, Norwich Union, £3OO. Stone fompanv >hoe stores. Standard. £750. South British £450. Turnei and Co., clothiers, South Britsh £2OOO. McNamara, tobacconist. Phoenix £2OO. Fountain restaurant. Phoenix £2OO London Dental Co., Phoenix £BOO. R. 0. (lark, agent, United £2OC. Pacific Club, North British £BOO. State Office £IBO.

A HOUSE DAMAGED

TAIHAPE. March 29

As a result of the recent dry weather, vesterday's high wind caused a logging-up r ire to >pread mi rapidly from an adjourning ection that a five-roomed cottage on Mala -oa road, owned by C. McDonell and ocupied by a man named Christiansen, t" inotally destroyed. The furniture was saved. There was no insurance.

THAMES. March 29. Roth the bodies of the man and woman lamed Aro. who were drowned in the riiames river on Saturday through jumping iverboard from a launch after the beruune iccame ignited, have been found. Verdicts >f accidentally drowned were returned.