BIG AUCKLAND FIRE.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1883, 31 March 1913, Page 6

BIG AUCKLAND FIRE.

ENDEANS' BUILDINGS GO. LOSS £30,000. (Press Association. —By Telegraph. Auckland, Saturday. A lire about four this morning gutted a four-storey block of brick buildings known as "Eudean's" Lower Queen street overlooking the harbour. The origin was apparently in the vicinity of the grill room of the Harbour View Restaurant on the second floor. The flames spread with amazing rapidity, and when the brigade arrived two minutes after the alarm fjvery floor was ablaze. The whole of the structure was gutted by fire, with the exception of the ground floor, where the damage was considerable owing to the deluge of water aud the debris from the upper floors. The building was occupied by about 25 tenants, the principal being the Pacific Club. The loss is roughly estimated at £BO,OOO. The insurances on the buildings were £II,OOO in six offices. The caretaker and firemen had rough work, several sustained injuries, mostly of a minor nature, except a man named Bristow, who was rather badly hurt by tho fall of a lift. HOW IT STARTED. The cause of the outbreak of fire is a mystery. A constable saw smoke pouring from the windows at the back of the block on the town side. Closer inspection revealed that the flames had a good hold on the first floor. Almost simultaneously the caretaker was awakened by the crackling. He gave the alarm. In this brief internal the flames by way of the lift well, raged through the whole building to tle roof, through which they burst, illuminating the country for miles. Mr Simpson Steward, of the Pacific Club, who sleeps on the top flat, had some luck in getting out by the fire escape. STAIRS FALL WITH FIREMEN. The walls stood well, but will have to be pulled down and rebuilt. A stairway fell while Deputy Wilson and Firemen Scott, Briscoe and Elmsley were operating over a bannister on the first floor. It let them fall through on to the landing below. None were seriously hurt. OTHER FIRES. Taihape, March 29. As a result of the recent dryweather yesterday's high wind caused a logging-up fire to spread so rapidly from an adjoining section that a five-roomed cottage on Mataroa road, owned by C. Donell and occupied by a man named Christiansen, was totally destroyed. The furniture was saved. There was no insurance. Thames, March 29. Both the bodies of the man and woman named Aro, who were drowned in the Thames river on Saturday through jumping overboard from a launch after the benzine became ignited have been found. Verdicts of accidentally drowned were returned. A FATAL FIRE. Greymouth, Last Night. A fatal fire occurred at Blaketown on Saturday night by which Alfred James Williams, aged 37, lost his life. Deceased was a wharf labourer. The house of five rooms occupied by William Johnson, tally clerk, took fire and was burned to the ground. The origin of the fire is a mystery. Johnson was absent from home. It is surmised tnat Williams passing by saw that the place was on fire and entered the building and was overcome by the smoke. His charred remains were found in the debris, but at first were not identified. Mrs Williams informed the police that her husband had not returned during the night and hisj bodv was then identified by her through a peculiar buckle worn by him. The house was owned by the Perotti's estate and insured for £l6O in the Phoenix. The furniture was insured for £2OO. Be wise in time and insure against loss with the Northern Assurance Co. O. F. Spooner, Chief Agent, Cole's Buildings, Palmerston North.*#*