A BIG BLAZE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 18, 26 February 1914, Page 8

A BIG BLAZE.

TIMBER YARDS DESTROYED; The timber yards, planing and sawmill belonging to Mr William Hunsley, and situated in Colombo Street, opposite the end of Dundas Street, were destroyed by fire at about 4 o'clock this morning. Much danger was occasioned to surrounding properties through the strong gale showering the sparks in all directions. The origin of the fire seems to have been due to the wind causing a back draught from the smoke-stack. The engineer stated to a SUN representative this morning that the fires were never banked, but were taken out, and he had drawn the fires as usual at twenty minutes to five o'clock on Wednesday evening. He supposed that soot was smouldering in the chimney, and •a spark was blown out by the gale, catching in the dry timber. The spread of the fire must have been very rapid, for the night-watchman states that he made his last round of inspection at 3.30 a.m., and found nothing wrong. But at three minutes past four the fire station received "calls from five different alarm boxes, the first coming from the box at the corner of Gloucester and Colombo streets. The whole of the Central Station plant was rapidly turned out. .The place was" blazing furiously, fanned by the gale, when the brigade arrived, Deputy-Superinten-dent Blake being in charge in tire absence of the superintendent. There was a strong water-pressure, and five leads of hose were quickly got out from the city main and the old Sydenham main, and the fire was attacked; from all points. An evidence of the' brigade's good work is that 3. M. Mitchell's furniture warehouse, factory, and timber yards, which is .next to Hunsley's mill, is absolutely untouched. The brick wall of the factory undoubtedly helped the'save, but had the brigade not plied the hose on to the,roof it would probably have been a mass of charred wreckage also. The brigade saved Mitchell's timber stacks, which lie just at the back of Hunsley's yards, the flames being stopped at the wooden dividing fence between the properties; but had the gale been an easterly, instead of a south-westerly, even the brigade's efforts would have been of little avail.

Mr Hunsley's yards and mill were uninsured, and his loss is estimated at some £2OOO. A two-storey building in front of the yards was occupied by Wilkinson Brothers, cabinet-makers, whose plant is entirely destroyed. Their, machinery was insured with the Phconix Company for £l5O, but their loss is estimated at £l5O above that. T Mucli of the timber in the yards belonged to various builders, who had it stored there ready for planing, Messrs Rankin Bros., Keighley, and J. D. Brown holding a large part of the stocks. Eankin Bros, fortunately removed a large part of their timber yesterday, but reckon their loss at from £SO to £6O nevertheless. A small brick building next door, occupied by Mr J. S: Wearn, dairy machinery expert, was damaged by water, but suffered comparatively little harm. Though the blaze was very fierce,: the brigade had it under within an hour.