FIRE IN NELSO

Colonist, Volume XXIV, Issue 2814, 27 January 1881, Page 2 (Supplement)

FIRE IN NELSO

About 8 o'clock on Thursday morning in was discovered that the premises in "Bridgestreet occupied by Messrs Dixon and Son, as a Soda Water and Cordial manufactory were on fire; and by the time the fire bells gave a somewhat indistinct alarm there was ascending from the roof of the two storey portion of the building a good sheet of flame. Just at this time the heavy South West wind which had been blowing lulled to some extent, and there being a tolerably wide yard to the east arid north-east of the premises the fire had little opportunity to spread, though had the flames once obtained a footing below the stairs there would have been bnt little chance either for the engine-house (a recent addition to. the premi?es, and which contains a horizontal engine with boiler, &c.) or the bottling room which is contiguous. With the utmost expedition jets of water were got on to the fire, when the effect was remarkable, for under the force of the water the fire was beaten out instantaneously, and whilst one minute the flames were ascending 12 or 14 feet the next there were none to be seen, and a very little later all fire was extinguished. Considering the hold the fire had before any water was thrown upon it, the extinguishing of this fire is one of the most noteworthy we have ever ; seen even in Nelson. The premises were fully insured in the South British Office. The police report estimates the damage at £60 and at all events the amount cannot be very great The origin of the fire, as is generally the case, cannot be satisfactorily accounted for. No doubt the flames originated about the roof of the upper storey, situate over the office, and which had not been used for some time. Mr Beck, the manager of the factory, was apparently the first to discover the fire, for whilst at breakfast he smelt burning wood and went outside to see that all was right, when he found the fire had already obtained a firm hold. '