DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20536, 10 April 1930, Page 12

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

DANNEVIRKE BUSINESS AREA EIGHT PREMISES AFFECTED. DAMAGE BY SMOKE AND WATER. [BY TELEGRAPH.—TOESS ASSOCIATION.] DANNEVIRKE, Wednesday, A fire oc.eurrctl in tho centre o! th<4 business area of Dannovirko shortly beforo one o'clock this morning, in wooden premises known as tho Cosmopolitan Building, ownod by Mr, Leo Stein and occupied by sovoral tenants. Tho structure was badly gutted at the back, and tho loss to occupants of tho promises on the ground floor as a result of smoke and water is estimated at a substantial figuro. Tho fire apparently started downstairs and tho flames ran up to the roof. Tho brigade was occupied for nearly an hour beforo tho outbreak was under control. Fortunately tho night was calm, otherwiso a disastrous conflagration would havo been cortain.

Tho occupants affected and the insurances aro as follows:

Miss Dillon, milliner, stock and fittings, £227 in the State Office. Messrs. A. Hannah and Company, ladies' outfitters, stock, £SOO in the South British Office.

Messrs. R. L. Bartlett and Company, boot importers, stock, £3OO in tho South British Office and £950 in th 6 Stato Office; furniture and effects, damaged mostly by water, £250 in tho State Office. Messrs. A. Hendry and Company, confectioners, stock, £550 in the South British Office.

Mr. W. Chick, dentist, fittings, £2OO in tho Norwich Union and £2OO in the Alliance Office.

Mr. George Peters, tobacconist and hairdresssr, amount unknown, Royal Exchange Office. Messrs. Watson and Sinclair, drapers, stock, £llOO, in the Royal Exchange Office.

Miss McPhail, dressmaker, no insurance.

Tho building was insured in tho Alliance Office for £4400, and in tho New Zealand Office for £I6OO. The plate-glass was insured in the New Zealand Office for £l5O.

MANSE BURNED DOWN.

MINISTER'S ILL-FORTUNE,

[BY TELEGRAPH.— ritESS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN, Wednesday.

The third serious fire at Ivaitangata in tho past month occurred at an early hour this morning, when the Presbyterian manse was completely gutted. The house was one of ten a®t>ms. The only occupant was the Rev. Frank McDonald, who barely had time to snatch a few clothes and escape. Tho house was a raging inferno when tho crash of falling material awoke him. Flames were then all round him.

The volunteer brigade was called out, but from the start its efforts to quell the flames were hopeless owing to tho lack of water and ineffective appliances for fighting a large outbreak. A strong easterly wind fanned the flames. The firemen, however, prevented the fire from spreading to a plantation of pine trees. There were no other houses in the vicinity.

111-luck seems to have dogged Mr. McDonald for the past few months. His wife died suddenly while on holiday in Christchurch, and after his holiday his health broke down. He resumed preaching only on Sunday. He lost everything in the fire, including a largo and valuable collection of books. Mr. McDonald came to Kaitangata from Pahiatua a year ago, and his furniture was all new.