FIRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1205, 2 January 1875, Page 20

FIRE.

A lire broke out on Friday evening on the premises of Mr Murray, confectioner, Eattray street. The fire, which originated in the "drying room," was kept in check with a small hose till the arrival of the Brigade, when it was completely drowned out in the course of a few minutes. The drying room is situate off the main passage on the ground-floor, is over an oven, nnd at the back of the kitchen range and high pressure boiler. There is a brick wall, and also three or four feet thick of sand between the drying room and the heating apparatus mentioned. At the time of the Hre there were about 22561b weight of lozenges and candies in the room. This stock was upon timber trays. The drying- room is occasionally opened^ during the day by persons putting in or taking out go.ods, but this day it was not opened at all. The heat was thus not only accumulated, but was greater than usual by reason of the ovens having been kept going day and night sqme time before, in order to. get a stock ready for New Year. All the stock in the drying-room was destroyed. Considerable damage wa,s also done in the store room overhead, and the workroom in the cellar below was flooded. Besides, much damage is done over the building by soot ■which has penetrated into every comer. The loss is es+imated at £750. It is fully covered by insurance, the building and stock being in the Norwich I'ninnancl .Standard To. at £'1500, each company having £750 on the building and stock. The fire, so far as can be judged, has been caused by the over-heating of the wooden trays or wooden framework of the dryingroom. It has a timber wall, timber ceiling, and timber framoworkfor trays. The trays, too, were of wood, and some of them were very old and dry. With so much timber exposed to a constant dry heat, it is no wonder that a fire occurred. The only thing to bo surprised at is that it did not occur sooner. The inconvenience to Mr Murray by the destruction of his stock for the New Year will, no doubfc, be yery cen&iderftbje,