FIRE CHECKED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21782, 23 April 1934, Page 8

FIRE CHECKED

PREMISES AT GISBORNE LARGE WOODEN BLOCK GOOD WORK BY BRIGADE DAMAGE TO FOUR SHOPS [BY TKLEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] GISBORNE, Sunday Shortly before 12 o'clock last night fire broke out in Mr. C. L. Davy's tobacconist shop and hairdressing saloon, in the Coronation Hotel block, a large wooden building in Gladstone Road and in the centre of the business area of the town. The fire brigade was promptly on the scene and by good work saved the whole block from destruction. A slight westerly wind was blowing at the time. The fire had a good hold when discovered. The windows of the shops on the ground floor blew out on to the pavement and the flames spread each side of Mr. Davy's shop, affecting Mr. T. R. Gordon's jewellery shop considerably and Mr. A. W. J. Mann's chemist shop to a lesser degree, although his stock was greatly damaged by water. The flames spread upward into the Coronation Hotel, the roof being badly charred in places and eight bedrooms damaged by fire and water. A boarder at the hotel, who made a hurried exit from his burning room, received a severe gash on putting his arm through a glass door. Several boarders lost their belongings.

The premises of Mary Hughes, costumier, adjoining Mr. Gordon's shop, were damaged by smoke and water, but most of the stock was saved, Tho total damage ?'s estimated at over £BOOO. The insurances are as follows :■ —Coronation Hotel: Furniture, £2BOO, in the Sun and Norwich offices; £17,000 on the building iu the Home office. Mr. Davy's stock: £6OO in the Standard office. Mr. Gordon's stock: £SOO with the Victoria Insurance Company. Mr. Mann's stock: £ISOO in the Royal office.

OUTBREAKS IN HOUSE INCENDIARISM SUSPECTED NEIGHBOURS SAVE BUILDING [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] THAMES, Saturday It is reported that an attempt was made last evening to burn down the residence of Mr. J. Whitmore, farmer, of Kopuarahi.. There was nobody at home at the time, Mr. Whitmore being in Cambridge and Mrs. Whitmore and family at Thames. When passing the house about 8 p.m. Messrs. L. James and L. Sloane, neighbouring fanners, observed smoke issuing from the fanlights of one of the rooms, and, knowing that both Mr. and Mrs. Whitmore were away, they went to investigate. They forced the front door and found a fire in the grate in the front, room and the settee and curtains burning. They managed to smother the flames in the curtains before the wallpaper had caught alight and got the settee outside, extinguishing the fire with a few buckets of water. On going into the kitchen, Messrs. James and Sloane were surprised to find a large writing desk on fire. The fire appeared to have started in one of the pigeonholes. The men smothered this outbreak with a large rug. Further investigations showed that the back window of the kitchen had been forced open and an entrance effected. Fingerprints and footmarks were seen on the window sill, while footmarks were also observed near the house and under the window. Mr. and Mrs. Whitmore were communicated with immediately and arrived home within a few hourß. I —— HOUSE AT WHITFORD FLAMES SECURE STRONG HOLD A five-roomed house, owned and occupied by Mr. J. Broomfield, at Whitford, was destroyed by fire on Friday evening. Mr. Broomfield was tho only occupant of the house at the time, and the flames had too strong a hold to enable the building to be saved. The house and contents were insured for £625 with the Eagle, Star and British Dominions Insurance Company, Limited.