DISASTROUS FIRE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17228, 7 April 1930, Page 11

DISASTROUS FIRE

GORE BUILDING BURNED HARDSHIP TO OCCUPIERS (Pur Press Association.) GORE, this day. A disastrous lire, at 5 o'clock on Sunday morning completely destroyed a largo building in the main street owned b v Mr. G. C. Hamilton, a jeweller. The occupiers were Mr. George Brown, billiard saloon; Messrs. Steel Bros., grocers; Messrs. Grants, Ltd., chemists; ,\lr. Charles Sloans, tobacconist; Mr. Maurice llowc, hairdresser. .The lire started in the billiard saloon upstairs, which was a roaring furnace before the brigade arrived. The tiro evidently started long before its discovery. A strong easterly wind fanned the Haines, and the firemen faced a difficult and dangerous task in negotiating the glass roof of the building. Ibe water pressure at first was low, but was strengthened by the cutting otf oi supplies to other parts of the town, iho danger was increased by tlie billiard tables falling through the floor to tho shops below. A great save was effected by 11 a.in., the only other damage being to the lounge of the Cosy Tea Rooms, which were partly destroyed, and further damaged by water. The firo revived in Messrs. Steel Bros', shop early this morning, but was quickly subdued. Great hardship falls on the tradesmen concerned, as there are no vacant premises in the town, and all builders already jire fully employed. Mr. Sloans has now suffered four fires and two floods during his business career. The insurances on the, building were £4OOO in the Guardian Office; on Sloan’s stock. £BOO in the. New Zealand office; Mr. Howe’s stock, £45 in Hie Manchester office; Messrs. Steel Bros., £2500 in the Queensland and Royal. Messrs. Grant’s and Brown's insurances are not available. Very little was saved owing to the extreme heat and fall ol heavy furnishings and glass.