OVER £l00,000 DAMAGE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19900, 30 March 1939, Page 14

OVER £loo,ooo DAMAGE

WELLINGTON BLAZE PILFERING DURING FIRE (Pur Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The full extent of the havoc wrought by Tuesday night's lire in die centre of the city was revealed .esterday confirming the estimate of damage of £IOO,OOO. At the seat of the outbreak in Victoria House, Victoria street, ail that remains is the sheil cf me gutted building, warped girders and charred debris. The duty of deciding whether such a building shall be demolished rests with the city engineer’s department and yesterday the city engineer, Mr K. E. Luke, and his officers made a preliminary inspection. The top floor and the rear portions of Hallenstein Brothers’ building in Willis street was also gutted. The streets were thronged throughout the day by people seeking a daylight indication of the damage done. The city engineer’s department estimated that up till noon yesterday approximately 2,000,000 gallons of water had been used in suppressing the fire. Severe damage to stock was caused by water in the shops on the eastern side of Willis street and shopkeepers were busily engaged throughout the day in salvage work. It was also reported that pilfering, which occurred when stock was being removed during the fire, was more widespread than at first realised. Some o£ the shops reported considerable losses.

The premises of Progress Motors, opposite Victoria House suffered slight damage as a result of explosions. The premises are insured for £BOOO.

The Minister in Charge of Police, the Hon. P. Fraser, stated he was particularly gratified at the manner in which the police controlled the situation and the fine response and co-operation of the public.