BIG FIRE IN CITY

Southland Times, Issue 25484, 3 October 1944, Page 4

BIG FIRE IN CITY

J. E. WATSON AND CO.’S BUILDING TOP FLOOR BURNED OUT . The biggest fire seen in Invercargill for years raged for about an hour in Tay street last night. The top floor of the threestory building of J. E. Watson and Co., Ltd., was completely burned out and heavy damage was done by water to the stock in the warehouse of P. Hayman and Co. on the first floor. Un-. touched by the flames, the offices of Imlay and Preston, solicitors, and Air Force Relations, also on the first floor, suffered from water. Efficient work by the City Fire Brigade was responsible for confining the fire to the top floor, but it was only by strenuous, well-directed efforts that a magnificent save was made. In the absence of the superintendent, Mr J. Philp, the brigade was under the control of the deputy superintendent, Mr N. R. Bryce. MASS OF FLAMES When the alarm was given at 10.8 p.m. the whole of the top floor was enveloped in flames. Five minutes before it sounded no sign of flames, only some smoke, could be seen, according to a man who passed along Tay street about 10 o’clock. Then with startling suddenness flames burst through the windows, and within a few minutes all the top floor was blazing fiercely. From every window now flames were belching forth, brightly illuminating Die surrounding area. Faced with the toughest proposition it has been called upon to deal with for years, the brigade set about its task in brisk, workmanlike fashion. The full resources of the brigade—three engines, the hose tender and every available man, including Emergency Fire Service personnel—were called on to fight the flames. To the layman, watching below, it seemed that the whole building was doomed. Smartly a lead of hose was run out and taken through the door leading to Hayman’s warehouse and, up the stairs to the top floor. From a second lead a frontal attack was made; then a third hose was taken up to the top floor. BATTLE ON TOP FLOOR With a tremendous pressure of water applied by the engine pumps, the fire was now being attacked at its strongest point. Nothing, it seemed, could live in that cauldron. All the onlookers could see was one hose being played from street level on to the eastern end of the building. What they could not see was the hard fight going" on in the midst of the flames on the top floor. With burning timbers all round them the firemen poured steady streams of water on to the inferno. They stood their ground without flinching, and after half, an hour saw they were beginning to get the upper hand. The spread of the flames had been checked, but it took another half-hour finally to extinguish them. From the onlookers’ point of view the most spectacular and exciting part was seen from the back of the building in Wood street. A north-west breeze was sending the flames in that direction, and showers of embers and sparks were continually being driven across the Puni. The fire was still roaring here when it had been almost subdued in the front of the building. THRILL FOR CROWD

The crowd had a thrill when the extension’ladder was brought into use in Wood street. With the nozzle of a hose thrown over - his shoulder, a fireman clambered to the top and prepared to direct a stream of water through the windows of the top floor. Perched near the top rung, he was only about 30 feet from the shooting flames. After a few minutes he called for more height and the ladder was let out to about 60 feet, bringing him closer to the burning building. On the swaying ladder he directed a powerful jet of water through the broken windows and eventually beat the flames down. Through the intact windows of the warehouse on the floor below could be seen a dull red glow which suggested that the fire had got a grip there. An attempt was made to smash the windows by the force of the water, but the glass would not give. For some youths it was the chance of a lifetime — stones could be thrown at windows without fear of punitive action. Soon the glass was shattered and the jet was directed on the warehouse ceiling, which was well alight. The fire was burning most fiercely in the western end, and the man on the ladder kept the water on it until it had been checked.

It seemed at one stage that Hayman’s warehouse would share the fate of the top floor, but the flames were confined to the ceiling. Although the stock was not burned it was either r.uined or severely damaged by water. A neglected little fire burned among some cases in -the right-of-way between J. E. Watson’s building and A. and T. Burt’s, but once a hose was brought to bear on it, it soon spluttered out. . GROUND FLOOR'SATURATED

Water- poured from the doorway of Hayman’s in Tay street after- the fire. The offices of J. E. Watson and Co. and the South British Insurance Co. on the ground floor- were not touched by the fire, but they Were saturated and will have suffered some damage from water. The premises on either side did not appear to have been damaged. No indication of the amount of damage could be given last night. On the top floor were some seeds and other produce, canvas, wool and stored furniture. The greatest damage was probably done to the stock in Hayman’s warehouse. An inspection of the building will be made today in an endeavour to fix the seat of the fire and discover what caused it. BIG CROWD WATCHES FIRE Several Thousand Persons Present Several thousand persons watched the big fire in Tay street last night. Even when the fire engines arrived there were at least 100 persons standing under the verandahs on the north side of Tay street and their numbers increased rapidly. When the picture theatres emptied about 10.15 the fire was burning fiercely, and most of the people saw the glow above the buildings and hurried towards it. The fire presented a more spectacular appearance from the Wood street side and many gathered there, although flying sparks and dense smoke kept them on the other side of Puni Creek or well towards either end of the street for a considerable time. The fire was dying when the audience came out of the Civic Theatre and many of them did not notice it. However,-those whose homes were in the northern parts of the city passed near enough to see the hoses on the street and the occasional flickerings of the flames. Such a crowd could be seen only at a fire. There were men, women and children dressed in clothing of every description. There were even a few

including women, who wore pyjamas under their overcoats, and-there were more than a few small boys who had obviously risen from their beds, dressed quickly and hurried to the fire.