FIRE IN ELLIOTT-STREET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5060, 4 February 1878, Page 6

FIRE IN ELLIOTT-STREET.

Smeko was observed issuing from the roof of Mr. J. B. Francis's new brick store in Klliottstreet at about half-past 7 o'clock a.m. on January 23. The store is a large two-storey building adjoining Messrs. Brown and Barrett's premises, nearly opposite the head of Darby-street, and is only used as a storage place for the glass, china, and earthenware which constitutes Mr. Francis's stock-in-trade. The retail store is in Queen-street. The danger was at one time imminent, threatening destruction to the whole block of valuable buildings and cottages adjacent; but the prompt steps taken for its suppression by the J r ire Brigade obviated the danger in a short time. So far as we have been able to ascertain, the fire was first discovered by a youth named Frederick Willcox, who is employed in Messrs. Brown and Barratt's store. He was coming to his work at about half-past 7 o'clock, and on turning into Darby-street from Queen-street, ho observed a blaze through the south window of the first tloor of Mr. Francis's building. He spread the alarm, speedily acquainting several persons in the neighbourhood, and at 2- minutes to 8 o'clock, the fire-bell at the corner of Victoria and Albert streets tolled out an alarm. A large number of people quickly swarmed on the scene. The whole interior of the building was by this time tilled with sickening smoke, but the front door of the building was throw open, and some members of the Brigade clambered up the hoisting chains connecting the two tloors through a trap door, and the hose was raised to them. The smoke was then literally suSocatiug, and the pressure of water coming on before the men had obtained a firm footing, two of the men were thrown back through tile trap-door, but, fortunately, escaped Without injury. In the meantime another lead of hose had been carried through to the back and upstairs, but the suffocating sensation was great. Captain Butler, of the Salvage Corps, was fortunately provided with two respirators, and these were fitted on the faces of two bvanchmen, who then ascended to the upper lloor to combat the llamcs which were bursting through the roof. Others wero almost suffocated lightering up the lioso to them, but they perseverod, and the current of air through broken and open windows, and the vent through the opening iu the roof in some measure cleared the atmosphere and allowed them to see where to play the water to advantage. The floor we may say was tilled with crates of earthenware, glass, and chinaware, and the smouldering burning and damp straw created a most disagreeable, suffocating smoke. In ashort time, however, the exertions of the Brigade achieved a victory, and danger was averted. The two streams of water playing from front and rear on the blazihg crates and roof soon extinguished the fire, and before 10 o'clock the tire was out.

The fire was apparently one caused by spontaneous ignition of the straw packing of aomo of the crates with which the upper portion of the building was filled, and the spot where it originated is distinctly marked by the hole ill the roof and tho burnt floor some 15 feet back from the front of the building. Here two crates stood, which had only recently been landed from the barque Iron Queen, and they hai only been on the loft a week. Tho fire must have originated in either or both of those, and the only assignable cause is spontaneous combustion of the damp straw used in packing the crates of crockery. The damage to the building is not very great. A hole is burnt through tho slate roof, and some of the battens are charred as well as the ties and kingposts of the roof, and a quantit3' of lining boards which were placed across the tieH to season before being used. The contents of two largo crates of earthenware and crockery are destroyed, as well as a large quantity of glassware and other articles, and the floor is considerably charred. The building was insured for £SOO in tho New Zealand Insurance Company office, aud the stock for £800 in the same office. The rapid and timely muster of the Fire Brigade was most creditable.