FIRES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3875, 19 June 1928, Page 27

FIRES.

TEN-ROOMED HOUSE DESTROYED.

STRATFORD, June 12. An unoccupied 10-roomed house in Regan street was, totally destroyed by fire about 2 o’clock this morning. The insurance on the building was £lOOO.

OUTBREAK IN FURNITURE SHOP. NEW PLYMOUTH, June 13. Fire in a furniture shop occupied by Mr Hogg and owned by Mr Petty caused damage, estimated at £lOOO. It is believed that a leaky roof allowed rain to reach the kapok mattresses, causing spontaneous combustion. The insurances on the stock are £lOOO, and on the building £2OOO. TWO OUTBREAKS AT RANGIORA. Christchurch; June ie The police report that a deliberate attempt was made to burn down a building used as an auction room in Good street Rangiora, on Thursday evening. A heap or imilammable rubbish was placed at the rear of the building and ignited. When the fire was discovered the wall was burnt through, and the flames were spreading. A police constable and a passer-by extinguished the flames with sacks. Three weeks ago an attempt was made to bum down the auction rooms m the same township owned by the Farmers’ Co-operative Association. TEA ROOMS DAMAGED. Early on Friday morning a fire broke out in .the tea rooms owned by Mr and Mrs Lake above the Commercial Bank premises in Dowling street. The building was damaged to the extent of about £5OO before the outbreak was extinguished. The City Brigade was called to the scene at 6 a.m. Volumes of smoke were escaping from the top. windows when the brigade arrived, and it was realised that the fire had a firm hold. A lead of water was taken up the stairway, and this was used to the best advantage on the burning contents, floor, and walls of the tea rooms. Ihe Bailey ladder was erected, and another line of hose taken over the adjoining buliding, but it was not found necessary to bring it into operation. The brigade had the fire under control within 30 minutes of its' arrival. The water poured down the stairway, but a liberal use of sawdust and the using of brooms prevented the water from causing serious damage to the premises below. The cause of the outbreak is not known. It started in the vicinity of a gas stove in the kitchen adjoining the tea rooms. The fire raged fiercely, and heavy damage was done to the kitchen. A hole about 10 feet square was burnt in the floor, which is the ceiling of the Commercial Bank. The flames spread through the roof of the kitchen in two places, reaching the University Club rooms. Good work by the brigade prevented tin flames spreading any further, and tin tents of the clubrooms were not dam«v <i to any extent. Several parts of the building suffered slight damage from the heat caused by the fire, and also by smoke and water. An office occupied by Mr J. E. Stevenson, solicitor, on the same floor as the tea rooms, was slightly damaged by smoke. The contents of the office are not insured.

The contents of the tea rooms are insured for £2OO with the South British office, while the contents of the University Club are covered by a policy for £250 with the Mercantile and General office. Water flowed through the hole in the ceiling and caused slight damage to the furniture in the rear portion of the bank’s premises. The building is owned by the Commercial Bank, and is insured with several offices for £ll,OOO. FIRE AT BULLEIDS. The damage done by fire, water, and smoke at Messrs John Bulleid and Co.’s, Ltd., premises on Thursday night, was heavier than at first supposed. The loss in the haberdashery and manchester departments was particularly heavy. The details of the insurances are as follows: —Royal Insurance Company, whole of building, £15,000; stock insured for £25,000 as under—State Fire Office £ll,OOO, North British £5OOO, New Zealand £4OOO, Yorkshire £3OOO/ Sun £2OOO.