RECORD IN FIRES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3327, 19 December 1917, Page 35 (Supplement)

RECORD IN FIRES.

Under the City of London Fire Inquests Act, Dr F. J. Waldo on September 5 concluded an inquiry with reference to the burning of Paul's wharf, Upper Thames street, E.G., early on the morning- of No- I member 21, 1916, when over £IOO,OCO worth i

of rice, pepper, ginger, and other foodstuffs was consumed. It constituted a record for city fires, having burned until the beginning of August. Superintendent Harris, London Fire Brigade, said they had had hydrants at work on the fire ever since, and it was the most protracted fire he had ever heard of in i 26 years.

Colonel Charles Fox, chief of the London Salvage Corps, said both his men and the firemen were overcome by the cayenne pepper affecting the eyes and throat. He had no suspicion that the place was set alight purposesly, but they found after the fire pieces of china that had been abstracted. He thought that it was within

the bounds of possibility that it was not a straight fire. Since 1907 the firm had had fires at this and other wharves, the estimated damage in the several easts being £45,000. £90,000. £25.000, £3200. and in the one now being inquired into the damage was more than £IOO,OOO. In each of the cases mentioned the cause of the fire was returned as "unknown." The £90,000

fire was a case of incendiarism b2 boy unconnected with the firm. The jury returned a verdict that fire originated in the middle bay on* ground floor, but the evidence failec show how it was caused. They adde rider recommending that "when the vS is rebuilt a system of automatic fire-ah should be installed. ■'