FIRE IN ALBERT-STREET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8273, 4 June 1890, Page 5

FIRE IN ALBERT-STREET.

«. SERIOUS DAMAGE. At about a quarter to nine o'clock last night a number of people in the Star Hotel noticed a very thick smoke issuing from the top storey of a three-storey brick building, at the corner of 8 wan son and Albert-streets, and an alarm was rung out, which brought the Fire Brigade and the Salvage Corps quickly on the scene with all their appliances for extinguishing fires and saving property. The fire was first observed in the second storey of the building, and in a very short time dense volumes of thick black smoke issued from the windows of the upper floor. The Salvage Corps occupied themselves in covering over the goods on the lower floor, and were pretty successful, but, in the meantime, the Fire Brigade had gained entry to the seat of the fire on the second floor, and had a full volume of water playing on the flames. The water came through the floor in the form of a heavy shower bath. The building was originally erected as a bonded "store, and was occupied by Messrs. Lewis Brothers. All the windows are barred, and the doors burglar-proof; but it, fortunately, proved to be a fact that the second floor was not fastened, and the brigade was able to effect an entrance there, and thence eventually by a stairway to the third storey. It took a long fight to deal with the lire. The smoke Wit;"dense and strong, and issued through the windows with great force, but in the course of an hour the Fire Brigade had obtained a complete mastery The building in which the fire broke out is the property of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, and is in charge of Messrs. Butcher and Co. The , building was fully occupied with produce of various sorts, flax, salt, sugar, etc., stocks and merchandise, belonging to various people, and each floor being well filled. The stock stored, of course, belongs to the various consignors, and there is no doubt they are all insured. The tire occurred on the second storey of the landing, in which a quantity of flax, grain, and other produce were stored. It was manifest that the fire originated in the flax bales, but whether it v,as spontaneous combustion or not is not clear. One of lileflers. Butcher and Co.'s clerks was in the office in the afternoon to deliver some sacks of barley to a customer, but he does not , appear to have gone on to the upper floor. 1 Through the courtesy of the proprietor of the Star Hotel intimation of the fire was sent to Mr. Butcher and the members of his firm, and Mr. Butcher came on the scene, but he was unable to give any information either as to the damage or the insurances. The goods stored belonged to separate owners, and were separately insured, but the damage through fire and ■water was, he had no doubt, very great. The wheat would suffer badly, salt, sugar, and other perishable commodities were destroyed, as for the flax, it was made worthless. The Fire Brigade having suppressed the flames, a regular clearance of the flax stored in the building was made. The flax bales were torn asunder and their contents thrown into the street to prevent a renewal of the-outbreak. No idea can yet be formed of the amount of damage done nor of the amount of insurances, but the destruction of property is very serious, and was estimated by one gentleman at £5000,