FIRES IN OTAGO.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVII, Issue 274, 2 December 1882, Page 2

FIRES IN OTAGO.

Dunbdin, Saturday. A fire occurred last night in the sail making 1 premises of Thomson and Owen, in Castle-street. The building was insured in the Hamburg Company for £200. At a quarter to two this morning a fire broke out in the Milton Pottery, and by three o'clock the greater part of the works were destroyed. The fire apparently broke out in the packing room. Had a few men been at hand nearly all might have been saved, but before assistance arrived the flames had complete mastery, and for some time the houses in the vicinity were in peril, and had there been any wind all must have been destroyed. The only buildings saved were the kilns and brick building containing the wheels and printing room. Recently much valuable machinery had been erected, and only the day before additional expensive works were completed. An immense amount of finished ware in stock was destroyed. The fire is a bad thing for Milton bb forty hands are thxown out of employment. There is a suspicion of incendiarism. The stock was insured in the National for £1,525, part of which was re-insured in the New Zealand, United, and Victoria.