BIG FIRE AT INVERCARGILL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2741, 5 January 1882, Page 3

BIG FIRE AT INVERCARGILL.

(Per Press Association.)

Invercargill, Jan. 4

A tremendous conflagration occurred here this evening, resulting in the destruction of a large amount of valuable property. It originated, it is believed in a shop on the western side of Dee street, occupied by Mrs Hannah, and rapidly spread to the adjoining buildings. For some time the extensive warehouse at the corner of Dee and Spey streets was in imminent danger, but thanks to the almost superhuman exertions of the Fire Brigade and others its destruction was averted. The warehouse is now the property of W. Paisley and Co., and was formerly occupied by Guthrie and Larnach and Company. The windows, although two chains distant from the burning building, nearly all broken by the heat, and considerable damage must have been done to the stock. The building was on fire several times. Other buildings on the same side of the street had a narrow escape. The fire broke out at ten o’clock, and at midnight, when the Telegraph Office closed, the following buildings had been burnt: —The City Butchery (occupied by F. Campbell), Mrs,Hannah’s grocery store, the Hibernian Hotel, Mr D. Roche’s grocery and wine and spirit store, an unoccupied building known as the Red Lion Hotel, McLiskey’s bootshop, Hanan’s Temple of Science, W. Brown’s drapery store, and Cooper’s jeweller’s shop. Cooper and Brown occupied a portion of Hanan’s building. At midnight the fire was still raging with unabated fury, and in order to save the remainder of the block strenuous efforts were being made to pull down the shops occupied by J. Rogers (tailor), W. Paterson (bootmaker), and A. Eaeside (pastrycook). Itis hoped that by having adopted this plan the White _ Swan Hotel will be saved, and the buildings to the northward of it also. Tho Brigade worked well, but were hampered by the scarcity of water. Great excitement prevailed and still prevails. The loss must bo something enormous, at a rougli guess over £25,000. The insurances fall fur short of this, but the amounts are not obtainable to night.

THIS DAY

[By Telegraph.]

By 1.30 tho fire was got under sufficiently to ensure the safety of the White Swan Hotel, which was several times in imminent danger. The wooden buildings between it and Hanan’s Temple of Science were cleared to a large extent of their contents, and partly demolished before the llamcs crossed the roof of the Temple,, a substantial brick structure.

The insurances were North British £I4OO (a portion of which isroinsuied) distributed as follows : £IOOO. on Eoche’s stock, and £4OO on Hamm’s Temple of Science ; Haraeatic, £l5O on Rogers’ stock ; Transatlantic, £3OO on Hibernian Hotel ; Colonial, £7OO on stock and furniture of Hibernian, £3OO on Eocho’s stock, £IOOO on the Temple of Science, and £l5O on Eaeside’s building, total £2150 ; Northern, £l5O on Eaesidc’s shop ; Liverpool, London, and Globe, £2OO on Hibernian, £IOO on Campbell’s butchery, and £BOO on Mrs Wilson’s stock and building ; New Zealand, £IOOO on Roche’s building and sto r , £3OO on Hanan’s stock, and £SOO on Brown (draper’s) stock, total £■’ 00, <.f which £3OO is vcbmired in J !■«; Colonial; Houth British Clsoon Eocho’s building. Total insurances, so lar as is known, £7200.