GREAT FIRE IN SYDNEY.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 12021, 21 March 1903, Page 3

GREAT FIRE IN SYDNEY.

lIEAYY LOSSES OF STOCK AND PROPERTY. United Press Association—Per Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Received 1.14 a.m.. March 21st. SYDNEY. March 20. A fire to-night in Heutch's bond. Miller's Point, was the largest and most destructive since Anthony Hordern's. Heiitsch's bond was an immense five-storied building covering something like half an acre. It was owned by the Harbour Trt:-t. who took it over in connection with the recent resumptions. It was occupied by Oswald and Fowler, and was stacked with cm immense quantity of spirits, furniture and other goods "in bond, roughlv estimated to be worth half a million. The building was divided into two stores, separated by iron doors. The fire started on the top floor of the " A" store, and swept across the " B" ; store. The top floors were well ablaze

before the fire engine* arrived. The fire, fed by thousands of tons of highly inflammable materials, spread like magic, and in a very short time the whole of the interior was a mass of fkiaies, and made a magnificent spectacle, the city, harbour, and country for miles around "being brilliantly illuminated. Thousands of persons .blocked the streets. The whole force of the City and Suburban Fire Brigades was at work. Saving the bond was seen to be an impossible task from the first, but the Brigades successfully concentrated their efforts to confining the outbreak to the .burning buildings. LATEST PARTICULARS. Received 1.26 a.m., March 21st. SYDNEY, March 20. Luckily the bond was detached on two sides, and there were no other large buildings m the vicinity. Some dwellings and a hotel were situated at the back and on one side. The tenants made a hasty exit. J Th J? fireme ? h J splendid efforts confined ll 6 the , bond - Thr€e h °ws from the starting of the fire the building was practically gutted. The end and side walls fell, with a tremendous crash, smashing a couple of vacated houses The fire is .till (11.15 p.m.) burning fiercely inside the walls, but it is in hand .the cause of the outbreak, amount of damage and insurances are unknown It is understood that the holders of. coods m the bond are largely insured. The damage will run into hundreds of thousands of pounds-.