FIRE

Otago Witness, Issue 2915, 26 January 1910, Page 22

FIRE

WANGAMUI, Jaraary 23. A serious fire occurred jost beiora midnight on Saturday. iSui for the fact that there was a total absents ox wind a whole block of buildings might have gone. The fire started as the result of an explosion which took place in the shop of Da-vis, a jeweller, in the .Rutland Hotel Buildings. An assistant was working in the shop. when the gas failed. He went mto another room and struck a match, when a violent explosion, which was heard over the whole town, took plate. The man got out of the building in a maimer which is 3 a mystery to him. The eapkwion was followed by the Sre. The flames got inte, the second'floor of the Rutland Hotel, an** rushed with remarkable rapidity along a corridor into the third storey and out of the tower. The brick walls and "he corridors appeared to cct like a funnel. Thai fire brigade was crnickly on the icene, but the fire was then racing fiercely. After an hour's work the flames were subdued, but not before the hotel wan practically ruined. As Chf seat of the fire was upstairs, those portuoHS of the builifSing which were not burned were soaked with water. Only one upstairs wing and the dining room escaped. The boarders all Igot out safely, and were accommodated at other hotels. So far as can be ascertained the insurances are as follow :—Building : Liverpool and London and Globe, 52000; Royal Exchange, £1600; Alliance, £1000; North British, '£1000; National. £1000; Phoenix, £soo:—total, £7OOO. The contents of the hotel are insured for £2040 in the Boyal Exchange. It is believed that Davis's stock was insured for £250 in the New Zealand office, which has a similar risk on the stock of Aynslev, tobacconist and hairdresser. The Butlapr 1 was a fine brick structure, and was built about six {years ago. ""racticallv everything but the walls will have to be renewed. A four roomed house in St. Kidla was destroyed by fire on Saturday night, and though tli? local brigade turned out under Captain SVl'Kcnzie with great despatch, the flames had practically demolished the building. The house, which was occupied by H. Wilson, a tram conductor, was insured in the Manchester office for £3OO, and the furniture in the Phoenix office for £l5O. The Duncdin Fire Bripjde was called out 7.24 p.m. on Friday, and made a remarkably quick resnonse to + he signal. The locality of the fire tarnftd out to be Moray place East, in «. building l opposite First) Church, owned bv Mr Evens,' and occupied by Messrs .L C. .Anderson (piotuT-o frmner). J. Corbet* (upholsterer), .T. H. Oliver (sisrn writer), n.nd the Commercvti Acrepcy Horn pan v. The fire anpaxen-W orig-inared in +-hn plcf.ur-e-fm.minrr oortport of the establish m<s>,nt, .and about £6O worth of damage, was done. The iT?sv>"inoss on the da<masrod portion of fh« bmildiuo- and s+ock \v«m beifw»*»n a.nd £SOO, in the New Zeala.nd Insurance Company.