THE FIRE IN PRINCES STREET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17158, 10 November 1917, Page 11

THE FIRE IN PRINCES STREET.

Sib,—l was highly amused on reading in to-day's issue your report on tho fire in the premises of John Edmond (Ltd.), when you describe t ie conditions that prevailed daring tho fire in Messrs Steel and Oo.'s factory, which occupies tho top floor of my building. In order to play on tho ibuilding as many leads of water as possible from different sides, tho fire brigade got into my building over the firo escape, took a load through Messrs Strcl and Co.'s factory, broke one of the skylights, and thustook tho lead on to the roof. As my building was some 15ft above- Edmond's, ,the brigade had a splendid point of vantage. Tho temperature of tho walls of my building during the whole of tho firo was normal. The woodwork was neither charred nor burnt, and not a single gallon of water was poured into Messrs (Steel and Co.'a facterry. The water that did some damage to Messrs Steel's goods was caused by a lpakrfge from th« hoso passing through the factory. I was on the joene of tho fire at 3.45 a.m., and examined my building from ton to bottom, including feeling the walls to find out tho heat generated. I am pleased to sav that r.he brigado used every precaution to do as little damage as possible. Tho amount of water that found its way to tho bottom of tho building was very trifling, and tho whole damago done in mv auction room would bo covered by about £3. —T am. eto., A. MOBITZON. Dnuedin, November 9.