FIRE AND STORM

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 18, 16 August 1928, Page 5

FIRE AND STORM

A WILD NIGHT. WELLpGTOS SUFFERS; FIERCE GALE CAUSES DAMAGE. Press Association— Copyright WELLINGTON, This Day. So far from easing, the southerly storm which prevailed yesterday, increased in fury as the evening approached, and the night wa s an exceedingly wild one. Fences and trees suffered everywhere, and quite a number of big-palms were levelled. A house was unroofed at Island Bay, which was exposed to the full force of the wind. This was thrown on to two other house s which were damaged. j

LAUNCH DRIVEN ASHORE. The launch Lorna, which was wrecked some time ago at the Heads and refloated, was blown ashore high and dry, and other small boats at Island pay also suffered. Through the electric lines being damaged, the power was cut off in Lyall Bay. SLIPS EVERYWHERE. This morning slips are reported everywhere, none however being apparently serious, except a great one on the Hutt Road at the new tunnel mouth and extending to the cycle track, almost cutting off traffic. It ia lucky that it has not done so, as railway washouts are jsuch that from present reports it may possibly be some weeks before traffic can be restored. Numbers of windows hav e been blown in in various places. FIRE IN OLD BUILDING. An unenviable task fell to the Fire Brigade at 4.30 in the morning when a fire broke out in a < wooden building at 86 Taranakl Street. The premises were practically unoccupied, there being only a plumber's shop on the first floor, occupied by F. Cooper. The flames spread to the two•torey furnitvte factory {>£ Beynard and Turner in 16, Ghuznee Street, which with its contents was severely damaged. A portion of a building at the rear was totally destroyed, and the Foresters' Arms Hotel was only saved by strenuous efforts, and the fact that a brick wall intervened.

The occupants of the hotel made a hurried exit, but the place was only scorched and damaged by wator. 'An unoccupied wooden cottage atthe rear in Egmont Street was dam-/ 'aged'by»fire and water, as also was ' the workshop of Hedred and Griffiths, sheejt, metal workers. ; On the-other side of the premises where the fire' originated was Hill and Jackson's, painters and paper hangers. The contents did not suffer, a concrete wall effectually preventing the fire from taking hold. The buildings are all old wooden ones, which were to hav e been demolished in the near future. The damage can not be estimated with certainty. The cause is attributed to vagrants sleeping in the unoccupied portion of the building where the fire was discovered.