WELLINGTON FIRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24141, 6 December 1941, Page 10

WELLINGTON FIRE

EXTENSIVE DAMAGE i , CLOUDS OF DENSE SMOKE STOCKS AND PLANT SUFFER {"BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Friday Damage amounting to several thousands of pounds was caused as the result of a fire which broke out in a building in Sturdee Street, off Dixon Street, Wellington this afternoon. Thanks to smart work by the Wellington Fire Brigade little - structural damage was done to the building itself, but the stock and plant suffered severely from water. The building, comprising a basement and three storeys of reinforced concrete with wooden floors and partitions, is owned by the David McCrae Estate. David McCrae, Limited, mattress manufacturers, occupy the basement, the ground floor and first floor, and Hofughton's Steel Products Company and Tatra Leather Goods Company occupy the v second floor. The fire, originated at the back of the top floor in Houghton's premises, which were fairly severely damaged. Apart from spreading along the roof the flames were confined by the brigade to this section of the building. The alarm was given at three o'clock. Clouds of dense black smoke were pouring from the windows and from under the eaves when the brigade arrived and the firemen used oxygen masks. Salvage sheets were placed over the ■plant and stocks on the lower floors as soon as possible, but not before serious damage had been done, particularly to bales of kapok and other material stored in the basement. WHAKATANE OUTBREAK DAMAGE TO DWELLING (0.c.) WHAKATANE, Friday A five-roomed dwelling in King Street, Whakatane, occupied by Mr. G. M. Oswald, was seriously damaged by fire yesterday afternoon. The brigade was able to save the rooms at the back of the house. Flames had burst through the roof when the brigade arrived, but the outbreak was soon under control. The front rooms were gutted and those at the back damaged by smoke and water.