FIRES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11047, 26 February 1898, Page 6

FIRES.

SERIOUS FIRE IN AUCKLAND. I (Fbom Our Own Correspondent.) . . . . Auckland, February 25. One of the mosb serious fives that have ever occurred in Auckland broke out at 1 o'clock this morning in a block of brick, buildings at the corner of Quean street and Victoria street east, owned by L. D. Nathan and Co, and occupied by the Direct Supply Company, Ellyet (grocer), Partridge (tobacconist), Prince (jeweller), M'Dermott (tinsmith), Pc.rtridge (pipe factory)) aad the Central Hotel. For some-time before the outbreak smoke was noticed above the D.S.C. buildiug. Then ihs fiimes burst out. The fire brigade were soon on the spot, but by that titno the fire had run from the top storey, where it had begun, through every storey. The pressure of water was not enough to reach ■ the top storeys, and nil the leads of bose had little effect, as the water evaporated. ■ The fife got round the back of the block into the furniture shop or the; Direct; Supply Company,' mid then Ellyet's and Partridge's, gutting both places. Ths fire then-ran up the back of the building in Victoria stwet till stopped by the dead, wall of the Central Hotel. Tee carriage factory of J. Mackia and a printing establishment in High sweet atooda good chance of going, and had | not the firemen stuck to their work there is i littie doubt but that these also would have I gone. Prince's shop was completely gutted,, but the stock had been removed by the southern i firemen. The fire was stopped here, M'Der- ! ipott'a (next door) being comparatively uninjured on the loweystorey. . , ' j All the lodgera turned out of the Central | Hotel with their belongings, but returned j later.,

The night wjs cairn, or the damage would have been much greater. ■ -Only the walls of the E.S C. wers left standing, and they will probably hs pulled down.

No lighi; has been thrown on the. origin of the fire. The Drapery Supply Company had £18,700 on the drapery ar.d £7250 on ohe furniture department,: and the fiotnl estimated loss to the company is £9000 worth of furniture and £20,000 worth or sort goods. Damage has beeu dene to the billiard table and to other parts of the' Centra! Hotel. Koberts's furniture is insured in the Norwich Uaiou for £650. I.he stock for £200, and the billiard room for £250.

I Almost every fire insurance company in the | city has baen hit by the five. The following | gives the individual lof.sos :— I Commercial Union — £5000 on the D.S.C, i sfcoftk, less a reinsurance of £500 ;—net loss, | £4500. . ■ ■ , ! .routine—On the D.S.C. stock arid Part-, j ridge'sstcck, -S4OCO. | New Zealand Insurance—££2so, leas reini sjirance £1250 ;—nek loss. £3000. ! Phoenix—On ths D.S.C. stock, £2600. > ' : Victoria—On the D.S.C. 'stock, £2000; and' a reinsurance, £500 ;—toMl, £2500. 1 Standard neb loss, £2000. '■•''. ■ National—Oa the D.S.C. stock, £1000; on I Partridae's stock, £1000 ;—toial, £2000. "Royal—On this' D.S O. sfeoek,* £2000. ".\ South British—Ou the D.S.C stock, £1000 ; on Partridge's stock, £700;— total, £1700. . . North British—net.loss, £UOO. ~..,. , .;.. Norwich Union—Gross insiiraiices, £11,000'; leis'reinKursnces, £7600 ;—net loss; £3400. - Imperial—On the D.S C. stock. £1250. Sao— On the D.S.C. stock, £1000. London and LVncnskire reinsurances on the D,S.C. stock, £1000 " Manchester—£l2so on the D.S.C. stock ; £3CO on Wallis aod Calfiv'r? stock ; legs reinsuc-atic-s. :£250 ;—net loss, £1300., . Magdeburg—Reinsurances on Partridge's stock; ,£750. . . ~ . Alliance—On the D.S.C. stock, £500. Koyal Exchange—Reinsurances on Partridge's stock, £500. '•'.' : .:* ' '. United—On the D.5.,0. Buildings,--£1000; on ! Oltlbury's stock, £200 ;—net loss,"£1200. Nocbnern—Haiiuurauce on the. D.B.C. stock, £500..-' '* • , ■■■•*• ~ •••■* North Gerni3u—lnsurance, on Partridge's stock, £100. ...... . 1. .'.'.'.' North* Queensland Insviraoce ndfc available. Ihe only two fire insurance companies which do not appear to be interested "iii the fire are the Guardian and the Australian Alliance.

Gisboene, February 25. The Chandos Hotel atOrmoud was destroyed by ike at an early hour this morning. The ute broke out at 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon in the kitchen and spread to the bearoora above, but it vrm apparently extinguished. Again in (he evening it revived and was quelled. Believing everything safe, the inmates retired to wst.but were aroused between 1 and 2, when the flames had obtained such a hold that the buildiug was destroyed and very little property saved. It is understood that the hotel, which was owned by Mr Kenely, the licensee, was insured in an office in Auckland, but the amount is unknown.