GREAT FIRE AT DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7994, 27 January 1887, Page 8 (Supplement)

GREAT FIRE AT DUNEDIN.

DESTRUCTION OF THE DUNEDIN WOODWAKS FACTORY. DAMAGE £150.000. FOUR MEN BURIED ALIVE. Dunedin, January 23. Shortly after 1 o’clock this afternoon a fire which assumed very large proportions broke out in the large factory of the Dunedin Iron aud Woodware Company. The premises, which cover about two acres of ground, in a square block, and extend from Princess-street to Bond-street, having also a third frontage to Manor-street, wore burnt down about ten years ago when belonging to the Guthrie aud Larnach Woodware Company. They were then rebuilt on a much more extensive scale, the large furniture warehouse aud offices being four stories high. The fire appears to have broken out close to the engine. house, and spreading rapidly through the highly inflammable material in the factory, which was full of all the latest and most improved machinery, soon had everything there iu ruins. After burning for about half au hour the walls fell in with a fearful crash into the street. The Fire Brigade were working hard to cope with the body of flames, which were fearful, in the centre of the building, and as there was a stout brick wall between the oTces and factory it was thought they might save the latter. The flames steadily gained, as the building was so extensive that very little water could be got to reach the centre, where a large fire was raging. The wind had carried the fire away from the direction of the engine-house, where it first started ; but when it caught hold of the offices the flames worked their way back again to the Bond-street frontage. Water was poured on totbefiresteadily, and a large quantity of furniture was removed from the show-rooms and warehouse, bat aS most of it was lowered by ropes from the windows it suffered severely. There was a tremendous crowd present, aud as the alarm of powder being on the premises was raised, they were running about wildly, although never interfering with the salvage work. There was a considerable quantity of cartridges in the building, and these could be heard popping off in a regular fusilade, but the roar of fire and falling roofs and walls almost drowned it. Two or three heavy explosions of powder took place, but did no damage. How the fire originated is a mystery. There is a night-watchman, but he is not on duty on Sunday during daytime. As he left everything safe at about 8 o’clock this morning, it is difficult to account for the fire starting where aud when it did. The loss is estimated at fully LIoO.OOJ, of which about L 75.000 is covered by every Company doing business here.’ All sorts of wild rumors were current as to firemen being injured when the walls kept falling, but so far as could be ascertained only one was hurt—Fireman McFarlane, who had his leg bfoken. Several others received severe cuts, wounds, aud bruises by falling glass, timber, &c., but they kept bard at work.. It was with some difficulty the firo was kept from jumping across Princes-street, but the buildings there were kept soaked with water. There is uo danger of the firo extending now unless a fierce gale springs up, but it will burn for many hours yet. It is almost certain that loss of life has occurred. When the staircase at the back of the furniture department fell there were a number of people in the building, and at least four of them were penned by the falling debris, and it has been found impossible to get them oat. One of these is a young man named Esquilant, another is named Miller, and a s third is a sailor whose name is unknown. There are tons of debris on the top of the material above these persons, who are still alive, and superhuman efforts are being made to rescue them, and it is possible they may be got out alive. Dr Brown is close to young Esquilant, who has piteously requested him to give him chloroform, or in some other way put him out of hia misery. Mr Headerson, the manager, was near the spot when the stairs fell, aud narrowly escaped, Dunedin, midnight.

Two of those buried were rescued alive, and two were got out dead. It appears that when the first fall took place, one man named Wallace, a seafaring man, was buried up to his waist. A number were engaged in trying toj rescue him by prising up tho things covering him, when the whole two floors above gave way and pinned three more; One was Mr A. Miller, a carter, in the employment of the Company; the other was Mr K. Esquillant, a young man, who is a son of a bookbinder in Dunedin; and the fourth was unknown. It took a few hours* hard work amid great heat and smoke before the bodies were recovered, Eaquillant and Wallace were alive, Miller and the otherwero dead. Wallace died about IO.SO, He was a sailor on board the ship Waimate, and was 27 years of age. Esquillant died a few minutes afterward. Dra Brown, Ferguson, and Mclntyre (Timaru) were on the scene for five hours to render service. While in a dangerous position they administered chloroform to Esquillant and Wallace. The men and doctors who were working to relievo them did so at tne peril of their lives ami the way all worked was admirable. The fire is still burning away, and will do so for days. The furniture warehouse is still standing, but is gutted, " r Dunedin, January 24.

Shortly after 3 o’clock tbo laii of the upper floors of the ironmongery department and their ponderous contents caused sad loss of life at the basement. This department was used os a store, and it could be entered from the basement of the fu:niture department adjoining, by a low-arched opening,, some Sft or' so In width. A number of people entered by this meaus, and made their way upstairs, passing out articles within reach. Esquilant and Wallace were among the volunteer*; so was Millar. The party also included Mr Pearson (of the Railway Pire Brigade), several members of the . Pire Brigade and. Salvage Corps, and Donaldson of the Naval Brigade. McKenzie, seeing the unsafe state of matters in the hardware department, called to the workers to desist, and most did so. One or two of the hindermost delayed to pass'ont a rack of shovels, whichatood iuat inside the archway between the hardware and furniture departments. At that- ■ moment the first catastrophe occurred. The strain to which the floors above bad been subjected was tremendous. The topmost, with its contents, bad fallen upon the one beneath, that upon the ’ next one, and' so on, uutil at this juncture the whole fell with ono great crash into the basement. Those on tbo right side of the archway on the basement of tbo furniture department escaped, most of them unhurt, but fell back horror-stricken ; and enveloped In smoke and fragments of debris,

they had barely time to recover themselves when a cry for help informed them that one or more men lay buried beneath tho burning mass. Returning to the spot the body of the sailor Wallace was seen half exposed, the lower limbs only to the waist being covered. He was conscious, and implored them to release him. Ho lay just inside the archway to the right-hand side, jammed against the wall in a peculiar attitude, and evidently in great pain. Disregarding the imminent danger—for only a portion of the upper floors had fallen as yet—several men set fearlessly about tho task of rescue. Pearson, Donaldson, aud one or two firemen directed a hose at the burning heap, and saved the man from instant death by fire, while a few others made attempts to extricate him. Constable Chisholm had hold of him by the arms, and Millar and others were trying to prise the weight off the prostrate man with a crowbar and a piece of timber, which they used leverwise, when the second and more fatal fall occurred, burying several of tho rescuing party. Immediately the smoke and confusion allowed a number of people to return to the scene, they found the dreadful condition ot affairs intensified. Wallace's body was still half exposed, and a little distance away and to the left-hand of the archway, part of the head and one shoulder of Esquilant was to be seen. He, like Wallace, was conscious, and appeared to suffer even more terribly. Of Millar, and the other dead body which was afterward recovered nothing had been seen. None of tho debris fell outside the archway, and when the second crash came Bridget and Wallace sprang from the woodware into the furniture warehouse, but a piece of the material that fell struck Mr Bridger on the ankle. The manager, Mr Henderson, cannot conceive any way in which the fire originated accidentally. Everything was safe when the premises were left on Saturday at noon. The watchman was down at 10 o’clock on Sunday morning, aud found everything right then, and ho was on his way to pay another visit of Inspection when the firebell rang. One of the clerks walked down from church at half past 12, and called at the factory office to get a book, and there was no sign of ffre. Tho fire must have originated in tho back x>art near Bondstreet. The boiler and engine-house was separated from the factory by a strong brick wall, and there was nothing of an inflammable nature in these rooms, all the waste and oil being locked up in a safe. One result of the destruction of property will be that about 150 hands (the best workmen of the Company) will have to be thrown out of employment. Andrew Millar, who last his life, was an old and respected servant of the company, and had for years been the head carter. He leaves a wife and eight children. Donaldson, of the Naval Brigade, relating the occurrence, says :—There were ten or twelve people, including two constables, in the basement of the hardware store when we heard tho flooring above giving way, and I called out to thorn to run. Most of them ran out in time, but on turning round I heard Wallace cry out for help. We went back to him, and helped a fireman and others to play a hose on the spot j others got hold of a bit of wood and were using it as a lever. I heard Millar sing out, ‘For God’s sake give uo a hand ! ’ and we could see a man half out of the ruins. At this moment a second fall occurred, burying the rescuers ; aud going back I also saw Eaquilaat’s head. He spoke, and was asking for water from time to time.” Constable Chisholm says-—“I had hold of Wallace after the first fall, and was trying to drag him out. He was sensible, and said that there was something gripping hU feet aud legs. I was bonding down over him, when I heard a cry, and someone dragged me backward by the clothes just in time. The second fall came just in front of me, and fragments struck me on the head and shoulders. It was a narrow escape. In a very few minutes willing hands were upon the spot, aud some eight or ton mon, stripped to their shirts aud trousers, began the work of digging out. The first man carried out upon a stretcher was a member of the Salvage Corps, named Galloway, who had received nasty contusions and injuries about the head. He was presently able to regain his feet and walk away unassisted. The situation of Esquilant aud Wallace during these weary hours was inexpressibly shocking. Wallace spoke from time to time, and bore up very plnokily, but was evidently suffering intensely. Esquilaut was in even greater pain, and murmured in entreaty to those around him to put him out of hia misery. He also begged for chloroform, and this Dr Brown sent for and administered a large quantity to him, but still he was conscious for the greater part of the time. His father and brother were amongst the onlookers. As proving the danger that attended the work of rescue, the party were once driven from the spot by the fall of part of the Bond-street wall, and were enveloped at the basement in smoke aud dust. A little after 6 o’clock Wallace was freed, but his condition was terrible. Half of the rescue party were now engaged in digging for bodies on the right-hand side archway, eight or nine feet from where Esquilaut lay. As they worked a man was presently uncovered, and immediately beneath this lay the head of another dead man, crushed, with face downward. After half an hour’s additional work the bodies were dug oat, and proved to be those of Millar and a man, name unknown. The bodies were terribly blackened and disfigured. At half.past 7 the work of freeing Esquilaut was accomplished. He had been jambed between the upright supports of the staircase, about a dozen or more grates falling upon hiin. • The lower portion of his body was practically lifeless when extricated. Esquilant was employed at Coulls and Callings’ establishment. The first man received into tho Hospital was suffering from rather a bad cub on tho wrist, but after the wound was dressed he left the institution for his home. This was in the early part of the afternoon. Soon afterward a man named McFarlane was admitted with a fracture of the leg and severe bruises about the ankle. The fracture was reduced by Dr Maunsell, who was in attendance. At half-past 6 the ambulance waggon returned with a man very badly burned about the body and legs. It was sometime before hisnamewasascertained,but be turned out to be a man named Wallace, a seaman, 30 years of age. Dr Maunsell attended, and there seemed at that time some chance of his recovery. The ambulance about an hour afterward returned with young Esquilaut. On being removed to the ward it. was. seen that his chance of recovery v/as extremely slight, and on examination of his injuries the case seemed hopeless. Nearly every stitch of clothing was burned off him, and his boots and the portion of the shirt which remained bad to be cut off with a scissors. His face andjmdy were fearfully burnt, and preseated a ghastly sight. He appeared to be conscious, aud ovideutly suffered no pain in the extremities, which were quite dead. At half-past 10 Wallace breathed his last, and Esquilaut died a few minutes later. Great precautions had been made in case of a possible outbreak of fire. The walls had been built as closely as possible, and where an opening was required iron doors had been made and perforated iron pipes fixed to the rooms in each department, and through these water or steam could be applied so as to have the whole place flooded. In the day watchmen were formerly employed, bub recently, owing to a retrenchment policy, the services of a day watchman were dispensed with. It is generally understood that the building was not insured for half its value, the insurance companies not caring to take heavy risks on such buildings. The total of insurances is stated to be about L 73,000. The value of property destroyed is estimated at between L 150,000 and L 200,000. The only definite information obtainable is that the South British Company have lines amounting to L2OOO. The National’s net Irgs is LIOOO, United Insurance Company LI7OB, and the New Zealand Company LISOO. Later.

. Search was made to-day in case more bodies might be buried under the ruins of the nre at the Iron and Woodware Company, but it is thought that it was not exhaustive. It is now almost certain that no more lives were lost. Water was pumped on till a late hour this afternoon. The only portion of the premises standing are the drying room, the smithy, and the top portion of the warehouse. All the machinery is completely wrecked, and the engine and boiler-house was red hot. This afternoon a safe belonging to Mr Larnaoh, vvhioh wasin the burning building, was taken out, but it was so hot that all the papers therein took Are, and these, with several articles of jewellery, were destroyed. The correct insurances cannot be known till the strong room is examined. Tbofollowinginsuranoesareatpresent known; New Zealand—Mill, LISOO. South BritishMill, L 550 0; woodware, LSOO ; ironmongery, L 750; furniture, L 750; total, L25,C00 (sic.) Mutual—Mill, LSOO ; Ironmongery, L 75 0; furniture, L 750; total, 1/2000. Royal—Mill, £IOOO 3 ironmongery, LOGO ; furniture, L 750; total, L 2250. Northern Mill, LIOOO- - Furniture, L2OOO. Liverpool, London and Globe —Woodware, L 200 0; ironmongery, L2OOO ; furniture, LIOOO ; total, LSOOO. Norwich Union Ironmongery, L 530. London and Lancashire—offices, LI000; Ironmongery, 12000; furniture,

L 2090 ; total, LSOOO. United—Hill, LSOO ; woodware, LSOO ; ironmongery, L 700; total, LI7OG. Union of New Zealand— Ironmongery, HSOO. Sun—lronmongery, LI000; furniture, LIOOO ; total L 2003. Phoenix—Mil), LSOO ; woodware, LIOO9 ; ironmongery, LI000; total, L 2500. Bquitable—Mill, L 250 ; ironmongery, LSOO ; total, L 750. Continental and English offices not represented in the colonies, 1*11,250; total L 40,903.

(from our own correspondent.) Dunedin, January 24. Yesterday's terrible and fatal lire was the most extensive disaster of the kind that bad yet occurred in Dunedin, the Idas df property beings now estimated at nearly L 200.000, of which leas than half is covered by insurance. Of the Insurance Companies, the local offices come off comparatively lightly. The Colonial had a narrow escape, having declined to renew save at a small advance on the premium, which the Company refused to pay. I understand that the local manager was strongly opposed to any renewal even on those terms, but was overruled at headquartera, and ha was instructed to grant it on these terms, which were rejected—a stroke of luck for tho Company which will be appreciated by its numerous Wellington shareholders. The scene yesterday afternoon was a most remarkable one. I remember some great fires in London, and the Opera House fire in Wellington, bub I do nob remember ever previously seeing so vast a concentrated mass of fiamo at one spot. The flames, which were of tho strongest blood red color, ascended in a nearly pyramidal form to an enormous height in the air ; the smoke being of a peculiar yellowish hue, which reminded me of that given forth by tho Japanese “daylight fireworks” as their shells burst. Another noteworthy feature was the amazing swiftness with which the fire spread through an immense block of buildings built entirely of brick, stone and cement, all the partitions even being of those incombustible materials. The flames would not have gained quicker or more deadly hold in the flimsiest “match- 1 box” of a wooden building, or even in the , Government Buildings at Wellington, which | are expressly designed to burn fast and ■ furiously if they once catch light, lu a comparatively brief period the gigantic building, or block of buildings, from its basement story to its fourth floor, was one seething roaring mass of fire fearful to gaze upon even in the brilliant sunshine. Had it occurred at night the effect would have been awful in its grandeur. As it was the maguitude of the property at stake, the multitude of excited spectators, and tho general scene of confusion combined to make the occasion very impressive, especially in its wild disturbance of the usual calm of a Dunedin Sunday, So far as I could judge tho Fire Brigades did all that lay m their power, which was nob very much. As to the fire itself they had simply to lot the mighty furnace bum itself out. Their puny efforts could not check that, but they did good service in preventing the spread of the mischief. Tho absence of wind was also very favorable. Had a Wellington or Christchurch gale been blowing, a great part of the ojfcy lying to the leeward of such a gigantic blast furnace must have been swept away. Tho weak point in yesterday’s proceedings was the failure to keep tho public off the burning building. Mad this beeu done, tho deplorable loss of life which has shocked, .the Colony would have been wholly escaped, but there was no systematic organisation, and outsiders crowded in with a most laudable and unselfish, but utterly ilLjudged eagerness to save property; and hence it was that tho first victim was destroyed, and through tempting other gallant men to strive for his rescue involved three more in his fate, Tho scene during tho five hours while such frantic efforts were being made to release the buried men was of the moat heartrending character. The facts that tho widowed wife and orphaned daughter of one victim wore waiting in agonised suspense for news of a husband and father buried, while yet living, was saddening enough, but still worse was the spectacle of two living men held tightly in tho jaws of the mass of burning debris, and undergoing the acutest suffering, from which they were only extricated after many hours* torment, to expire immediately after their release. Happily it was possible to administer chloroform from time to time, and so their agonies were in some degree mitigated, The ruins to-day present a strange and weird aspect. The fire is still burning fiercely in several parts, but is carefully watched and kept from extending. The vast area of the building was never seen to such effect, but I must add that the weakness of the structure in many respects was also rendered very noticeable. At least so it struck me and many other spectators. The walls fronting Princess-street seemed to me positively flimsy in thickness for so large and ponderous looking a structure. It may be that they were really stronger than they seem, but such is their appearance, and the ease with which they were pulled down after tho fire was mostly got under seems to support this view. The building, which was completed in May, 1576, covered an area of 183 ft by 122fb, the contract price being LXO.OOO.- There were used in its construction 245 D cubic feet of cut stone, 580 yards of rubble, 824,000 bricks, 400 yards of metal for concrete, 280 barrels of cement, 236,000 feet of timber, 12,000 feet of glass, 4 tons of lead, and 14 tons of iron. The machinery, which was of the most complete nature, was specially purchased in England.' Beside the planing and sawing machinery there were many wonderful machines for saving labor, which were capable of doing the most difficult kinds of work. Great precautions had been made in case of an outbreak of fire. The walls had been built as closely as possible, and where openings were required iron doors had been made. Perforated iron pipes were fixed to the roof of each department, and through these water or steam could be applied, so as to have the whole place flooded. Night and day watchmen were formerly employed, but recently I understand that, owing to the retrenchment policy pursued, the services of the daywatchman were dispensed with. The origin of the fire is still shrouded in the deepest mystery. Rumors were current to-day that another person was missing. He was supposed to be buried under the ruins, but so far nothing has transpired to give color to this report, which it is to bo hoped is unfounded, At present the only feasible theory as to the origin of the firs seems to be incendiarism. The result has been to throw over 151) men out of work.

THE INQUEST.

Dunhdin, January 24. An inquest was held to-day on the bodies of the four men who lorb their lives at the fire at the Iron and Wbndware Company ft premises. The evidence was similar to that which has already been telegraphed. The witnesses spoke in admiration of the conduct of the rescuers. The fourth body has been recognised as that of Richard Paacoe, a seaman ; and the verdict was that the deceased, H. E. Esquilant, Robert Wills, Andrew Millar, and Richard Paseoe, met death by accident. A rider was added, expressing sympathy with Mrs Esquilant, and expressing a hope that Francis MoEwan, Fireman McKenzie, and Constables Chisholm and Clark, would receive some fitting reward for their conduct, which was deserving of great praise.