A BIG FIRE IN AUCKLAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15350, 13 January 1912, Page 10

A BIG FIRE IN AUCKLAND

MACKY, LOGAN'S WAREHOUSE. COMPLETELY GUTTED. LOSS ESTIMATED AT OVER £150,000. HEAVY STOCK INVOLVED. PLUCKY FIGHT BY THE FIREMEN. One of the most disastrous (ires in tho history o[ Auckland that has overtaken the city occurred when the extensive sol tgoods warolwu.se of M tsars Macky, Logan, and Co., running from Victoria street to Darby street, t-ojjeilwr with ttio whole of its valuable block and oilier contents, wiie totally gutted. The lire caused damage to the- extent of many thousands oi pounds, and was with lli« ntmiist difficulty prevented from spreading to tlio adjoining premises, in the same block. The gutted building oeciipied the central portion of a solid block of brick premises, bounded by Queen, street, Victoria street west, Elliott street, and Darby street. The side windows of the Royal Hotel, in Victoria street, overlook Elliott street, and it was from here that the fire was first discovered by a boarder. He saw flames suddenly shoot up from the rooi of the warehouse, and instantly rang an alarm through to tho City Fire Brigade. A prompt response was made, and before- many minutes had elapsed the entjre force and all tlic appliances at the disposal of tho brigade were on the sjKit. FLAMES SPREAD RAPIDLY. Tho alarm was given a few minute before 11 p.m. In an incredibly short time—scarcely five minutes from the first buiKting of the flanhw through the roof at the Darby street end—the building was afire from end to end, and from top to bottom. As showing how furiously the lite miifit have eaten its way through the inflammable stock contained in the doomed building, it was only abont seven minutes after the alarm had brought the brigade pounding to the work of salvage that the crashing of glass and the falling out of the whole of the top-storey windows in thi! Victoria stree{. frontage announced the arrival of tho flames at that end of the building. Great sweeping tongues of fire iM'khed out of the bared frames of (he windows, penetrating the preliminary clouds of smoke, and the crowds of onlookers who bad begun to collect were driven back at a run. The heat wan terrific,. and the cordon of police spread round the hlork under Inspector Culhi had little difficulty in inducing the Hnertators to stand back at a respectful distance. For a while tho boarder.? in tho Royal Hotel viowed the spectacle from the Elliott street fire escape balconies, but when the behind tlwm began to crack they moved to safer quarters with despatch. WATER PRESSURE INADEQUATE. In the light of the. flames tho vast crowds who had run to Ihe scene to witness the outbreak could be (seen stretching up and down Victoria.street, and on tho heights of Albert Park. Those nearest to tho seat of the fire frequently found occasion to applaud the courageous men in brass helmets who wcro engaged in trying to suppress the fierce flamca. Aided •it first by a quite inadequate pressure of water, tho firemen were unable to do more than sprinkle, and an unequal eontest seemed likely to end in the eompleto destruction of the whole block. Throughout the firo, flames leapt through.the roof and through every window of the building. Despite the fearful heat, members of the brigade were to bo seen nilliouctteti against the blaze, and in close proximity thereto, their best with the inadequate water pronto available. When the telcwopo ladder arrived at 11.15 p.m. it was hoisted to the roof in Elliottstrect, and seven firemen raced up to the roping. Here thoy played npon tho flames, whilst steam arose from their clothes, and their faces grew red and scorched. THE PLUCKY FIREMEN. A 6 soon as tho flames which wcro gushing with such fury out into Victoria street were partially subdued, tlio firemen broko down the door, and entered the burning buildings, dragging lengths of hoso after them. Their pluck was rewarded by loud cheers from tho onlookers. ■„. Half an hour after the start of the firo the entiro warehouse had boon converted into-a roaring furnace. Luckily there was very little wind, and such as was blowing from tho west was sheltered from the burning block by the superior height of the warehouses 'ami hotel lining tlio upper side of Elliott street. Smoko of great density rose skywards, and was then borne by the breeze across Qnecn street and over towards Albert Park. Thcsmoko ckmds were freely impregnated with myriads of sparks, and (Occasionally large pieces of flaming material wore to be seen floating away over tbo" .city. • Nono of tliifi fiery debris caused further damage elsewhere, though during the fiercest progress of the firo anxious looks were cast in the direction it was taking. CITY CHAMBERS THREATENED! By this timo it appeared as though littlo short of a miraclo would save tho City Chambers, standing at the corner of Queen and Victoria streets. It was probably only due to tho high walls of the burning building that' tho block referred to wa s saved from destruction. The fire bnrncd steadily, and with consuming force, and was watched by an ever-increasing crowd of citizens from all parts of the city and suburbs. Viewed from Victoria street, the sight was an im. posing one, additional interest being addod for those who looked on by the reflection of Hks lurid inferno in the windows of Messrs Snrgood, Son. and Ewon's warehouse, several of which, despite their distance from the fire, wore badly cracked.

FALL OF THE ROOF.

Tho Darby street ond of tho roof of Macky, Ugan's was the first to fall in, the crash being suoeceded by au upward rush of sparks and tongues of flamo, which were immediately blotted out by a rush of deep black smoke. Thereafter tho flames burned up with renewed vigour and, running along tho woodwork of tho remaining lnnglh of roofing, very eoon senttho whole of it hurtling down into tho furnace below. Again the flames rushed through every window, then subsided into a roaring blaze that prococdod to devour all that remained within the walls of tho building. From 11.30 p.m. onwards the outbreak was practically confined to the place of origin. It had commenced to gain a hold on Messrs Iloldsworth's prcmif«. when tlie brigaderanen were able to break into tliat establishment, and from their new place- of vantage they' succeeded in suppressing tho flames. Valuable assistance was rendered-at tho fire by the ofi'icors and members of the crew of the steamer Paparoa, The contents of Macky, Logan's building were as follows :—First floor (facing Darby street), hosiery; first floor (facing Elliott- street), furnishing department; first floor (facing Victoria street), mancht*l«r department; second floor (Darby «treet), haberdashery, fancy and foreign goods department, and offices; second floor (Kllwtt street), millrncry, / laom, etc; second floor (Victoria street), ladies' drew} department; third floor (Darbv street), VovV and men's clothing, mercery, shirts; third floor (Victoria street), ladies' imdorclotfiing. The large amount of salvage was subsequently sold by public tender. The major portion was Ixmght by Messrs W. I'enrosc anil Ca, George street. Dunedin. Their purchase consists of the whole of the men's and boys' clothing, pyjamas, men's hats, shirts, underwear, dungarees, hns-iery, laets. embroideries, ribbons'. Mouses, corsets, singlets, nnde.rclothingl lailics' armarel. calico, flannel, towels, roller towelling, white linen. Turkey chintz, white sheeting, unbleached sheeting, casement cloths, shirtings, forfare. dowlas, lira's stnffp. prmts. sat-rens, ginghams drens linens, zeplivrs. drew twee/ls. eropon, cashmere, also 300 pairs of all-wool blankets. 144 travelling ntgs, oilcloths, with hundreds of minor lints. The nnantity of ealvace to handJo was so large

that Messrs Penrose and Co. were ohKged to rout two largo storeroom? at Mont/.koii'b, and iilho the Don clothing shop, to titorc tin* nalvasjo. Their own oxtoimivc premiser. in Ocorgo street aro now being tilled to t!ieir utmost capacity with ealva»i> goodti. .Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Penrose's will he closed for preparation of pale, which opens Thursday next, at 9 a.m.— lAdvt.l