FIRE IN SYMONDS-STREET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7771, 18 October 1886, Page 5

FIRE IN SYMONDS-STREET.

DAMAGE ESTIMATED £15002 About twenty minutes' to wo o clock this morning the firebella rang out an alarm, an immediately afterwards . glare arose m h. vicinity of Upper Symonds-street, which vicin y r that j oca i, ty> indicated that he alarm, the Auckland Fire |h°rtly» under Superintendent Huehes, and lender Capt.iu Field, got smartly »w»y for the .oeM of the fire, which nroved to be in a block opposite Messrs. stables, Upper Symonds-street, consisting of two two-storeyed shops, owned hv Mr Wright, confectioner, of Queen-street, and occupied respectively by Mr. John McCarroli, linen draper and hosier, and Mr. w. Spedding, woollen merchant. The Grafton section of the Fire Brigade, under Foreman Gladding, were early on the spot, but as the tire had complete hold of the building before the alarm was given, and there is scarcely any pressure of water on that point of Symonds-street, they were unable to do more than confine the fire to the place in which it originated, which was burned to the ground. There was a house at the back occupied by Mr. Sutton, watch nmker but this escaped with a sHght scorch.ng NoUnng the telephone wires were fused and the pole 88 Nothing of any account is known as to the origin of the fire, further than that it originated in McCarroll's shop. Mr. McCarroll ■en lives at Kaipara. Mrs. McCarroll, inn'' states he came home between eleven and 'twelve, and went to bed at once, up stairs, where all the members of the family slept. Tho fire was discovered by a Mrs. Baird, who, owing to the rain setting in the previous evening, was a guest for the night. She awoke through a smell of fire, and at once gave the alarm to Mrs. McCarroll, who roused up Mr. McCarroll, ]un. Mrs. McCarroll opened her bedroom door to go downstairs, but was met by the flames and driven back. The whole of the inmates, gome eight or nine, including three little children, were got out by the windows on to the verandah, from whence they were assisted down t by Mr. Frederick Winstone, who lives across the street, and oame over to their assistance. It appears gome small fire had been Jleft in the crate in the sittingroom downstairs, and that was the only apartment in which there was any fire. Mr. McCarroll can throw no light the fire whatever, as he never got downstairs. Some of the neighbours say that the fire commenced at the back, others near the staircase, or in the shop, but it is pretty clear that the tire, wherever it may have originated, had a good bold before the alarm was given. The stock in the shop occupied by Mr. McCarroll was insured for £200 in the Norwich Union. Mr. Spedding does not live on his premises, but somewhere in the Mount Eden district, so that his insurances on stock could not be obtained. Mr. Wright had the buildings insured for £500 in the South British. The total damage will be over £1500. _ A detachment of the police, tinder Sergt. McMahon, were on the ground, and rendered whatever aid was possible.