FIRE IN STANLEY-STREET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7301, 13 April 1885, Page 5

FIRE IN STANLEY-STREET.

At about a quarter-past nine o'clock on Saturday night a fire broke out in Stanleystreet in the shed belonging to Mr. 11. Levett's marble works, and in a short time the whole of the upper portion of the shed was in a mass of flames. It seems to have been first observed by a man named Joseph William Ricks, who was on Constitution Hill. He then saw flames bursting through the iron roof of the shed. He sent a boy to ring the fireball at the top oi Parnell Rise, near the Borough Council office, while he himself went to the scene of the fire. He found that the seat of the fire was about the centre of the loft floor, three or four yards from the stair landing, the stairway being from the outside of the shed. He endeavoured to extinguish the flames by means of buckets of water which he procured, but the fire proved too strong for him and he was forced back. By this time the whole loft was a muss of flames, and the adjoining buildings were in great danger. Some men, with a small nozzle, endeavoured to keep the roof of a gum store which was in dangerous proximity (only separated by a few feet from the fire) cool. This was a galvanised building, as was also Mr. Philcox's stables adjoining. A crowd quickly collected. The horsos were taken out of the stables, and the door of the gum store having been forced open, a large number of cases of kauri gum were removed to the roadway out of danger. The Parnell Fire Brigade were very speedily on the spot, under Captain Walker, and taking a lead of hose from the plug under the railway bridge and soon had two jets playing—one on the rear of the building and the other through the end opening into the loft itself, the seat of the fire. This had the effect of at once checking the fire, and when Superintendent Hughes and the Auckland Brigade arrived they took a lead from the corner of Stanley-street and Beaofa-road and attacked the fire from the front. In a short time all vestige of fire had disappeared. The Salvage Corps under Captain Field and the poiice under Sergeant Pratt; were also present. - The origin of the'fire is as usual mysterious. Mr. ILieggett Bays that all the employes had left 'the place at two o'clock on Saturday when, the engine fires were put out. The fire could not possibly have originated from the engine furnace, as this is outside the building, and a considerable distance from where the fire broke out in the loft. In this loft was the marble-polishing machinery. Somei elegant mantel-pieces, including those for 1;ho Harbour Board offices were in this room, a considerable proportion of them being in a finished state, so that the lots of these, including the polishing maohinery, will be very heavy. Mr. Levett, however, ia not in a position to estimate hie loss iA present. He has his stock in trade, and the building is insured in the New Zealand Office for £1000, and the machinery, including the engine, saws, frame, and large circular iron table, are owned by Messrs. Morrin and Co., and are, we are informed, insured in the same office for £800; but these, if injured at all, are only very slightly damaged. A cottage adjoining, owned by by Mir. Jas. Watts, of Windsor Lane, and occupied by Robert Evans, was damaged, a square of the roof having been burnt, and the closet was also destroyed. This house was insured in the Royal for £75, but the insurance lapsed on the Sth of this month.