GREAT FIRE IN NELSON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16500, 28 March 1917, Page 8

GREAT FIRE IN NELSON.

BLOCK OF SHOPS DESTROYED. — ! STOCKS NEARLY, ALL LOST. [BT TELEOIUrH.— PRESS association.] >.:'->.' NELSON. Tuesday. The most serious fire that has occurred in Nelson for many years broke out in /a block of wooden shops in ■ Trafalgar Street to-night. The. premises of Lightband and Co., boot and shoo:; importers KJ Jackson and. Co., booksellers and stationers and W. C. : Ansell, chemist, were destroyed, as also were the bulk stores of Buxton and Co. . Ltd., -■ ironmongery and general merchants, running behind the ; premises mentioned,; ' ;.. -■. , . ■-, j Buxton's main , building, ;a \ large brisk i structure, . separated " from : Jackson's by a narrow right-of-way, was for a long time jin groat danger. Tho fire repeatedly j broke into the top floor, but by strenuous j efforts the fire brigade prevented the spread I of flames in this, direction. .„',,.? As far, as■ the main building was concerned, Buxton and Co.'s loss was confined to that due to heat, smoke, and water. ' \ On the north side the fire was checked by a new brick building owned by Brown Bros, and occupied by Trathen and. Co., drapers. The damage in these premises' was light aad -was vjhotty c&wse& ty hcsA and smoke. Salvage operations from Jackson's and Lightband's , premises and ■:' Buxton's ■; bulk stores was impossible, but some of Ansell's stock was got out. ' ' ' i The damage will amount to many thousands of pounds. /; \ '."[ Insurances on Lightband's stock and Jackson and Company's building and stock aro all in tho Alliance Offico and on Buxton's property in tho New Zealand Office. The Fire Brigade worked splendidly but was hampered for some time at a critical stage of the fire by tho inadequacy of tho water supply.'