Recent Fires.

Thames Star, Volume XXX, Issue 9028, 28 March 1898, Page 3

Recent Fires.

COBONIAL ENQUIEY.

An enquiry into the circumstances of the recent fire at Mr Gavin Wallace's premises, Pollen street, was held at the Courthouse on Saturday afternoon before Mr A. bmce (Coroner) and the following jury: Messrs Win, Gribble (Foreman), Win, Loveday, Eobt. StevensoD, Josiah George, Thomas Antony, and Thos. Day.

Sergt. Gillies represented the Police. Gavin Wallace deposed: At 11 a. m. on March 18th I was in my premises in Pollen Btreet. A fire broke out right in the centre of the building right between the front and back of the shop. The exact spot was where we kept the kerosene for sale; I iirst noticed the fire along the roof. My assistants failed to check the flames, At the time the fire broke out only £2 or £3 worth of goods bad been served. The building was destroyed and the stock was almost all destroyed. The vnlue of the stock at the time of the iire was £2500. I had £1000 insurance thereon—£7so in the New Zealaud and £250 in the Victoria. The house in which we were living at the back of the store was not insured, and was destroyed. I consider that the buildings that were destroyed were valued at from £400 to £500. The insurance thereon held by the owner (Mr McGowan. is £400 in the Victoria. At the place where the fire originated we had half a ton of turpentine and very near it a whole tin of keroeene. This was kept there for the purpose of serving customers with small quantities. After drawing from the tin, there might be a drop fall on the floor. The place where my assistants were trying to put out the fire was m here the kerosene and turpentine were kept. There were several customers in the store at the time.

John Pearce deposed : I am a carter in the employ of Mr Wallace. I havo been in his employ over a year. On March 18th I was preparing to take out a load of goods at about 11 a.m. I went into the store to get a bottle of turpentine to complete the load. The turpentine and the kerosene were kept in the centre of the building between the two stores. After drawing a bottle of turpentine I lit a match to see if it was full,, holding the match behind the bottle. After ascertaining how much was in the bottle, I blew out the match and threw it down. I immediately saw flames start around about my feet and tried to stamp them • out. James Wallace came to my assistance, and we boih endeavoured to smother the flame with sacks. We did not succeed. While we were trying to smother the flame the fire got behind the tin of turpentine. Then there was a sudden burst of flame either from the kerosene or turpentine. The latter was on the top of the former. The flames flew straight away to the roof and there was a large volume as though from a furnace. A few seconds afterwards the heat became so great that we had to retreat. »The j>lace where the kerosene and 'tirjh !iti..t> were kept was a dark coiuer. When I struck the match to view the bottle of turpentine as to the quantity, I found that it was not over-filled. James Wallace gave corroborative evidence, stating that he and Pearce tried to suppress tbe fire with sacks, and failed. After due deliberation, the jury returned the following verdict: —" Tbe fire whereby the premises and goods of Gavin Wallace were destroyed at ( Pollen Street, Thames, on March 18th, 1898, was caused through John Pearce throwing a lighted match on the floor i of the said premises where kerosene i and turpentine were kept, and that the' said h're was accidentally caused."

A fresh jury having been empannelled, the Coroner conducted an enquiry into the fire at Judd's foundry. The following jury was sworn :—Chas. Me Williams (Foreman', Thos. Boyle, Charles L. Wells, A. Butler, Charles O'Brien Win. Brooks

Henry McLoughlin deposed that he had been a member of the Fire Brigade for 15 years. On March 23rd, at about 9.10 p.m., he was passing Judd's foundry. After he had passed the place about a hundred yards, he turned to go back again towards Shortland, and then noticed a thick smoke over the foundry. He proceeded to 'he gate leading into the foundry yard, and saw a glare of fire through the open foundry door. He jumped the gate, which was closed, ar.d aaw the fire creeping through the joints near the boiler. The fire then seemed trivial and easily put out. Witness fouad a bucket and water, but the bucket leaked about half its contents. "Witness applied the water by this means to the fire, and heard someone calling " Fire " in the street. That was the reason why witness did not go personally to give the alarm. "Witness continued to apply the water, and in about five minutes Mr Judd came, followed by Walter Judd. Mr Judd went past witness, and Walter Judd brought out the hose. By this time the fire had crept along the wall and up the roof. By the aid of the hose the flames were kept considerably in check. All the fire which witness saw at the outset was confined to three feet in length, near the boiler. Witness was of opinion that the fire originated in a spot used for storing patterns. Ohas. Judd deposed fbat shortly after 9 o'clock on the evening of the 2Srd he was sitting in his bouse close to the foundry, aud henrd some boy in the street caltiug out "Fire. 1' Witness went outandsaw the foundry on firf,the smoke and flames being among the patterns. Witness proceeded at once to the spot anil ran to get the hose, He corroborated the evidence of the last witness as to the position of the fire. Two lengths of hose were got on, and the fire was more or less checked till thb Fire Brigade arrived. Witness had no idea as to how the fire originated. As far as witness could see, the bulk of the fire was situated in the the comer between the etove and the boiler. The stove was used for drying moulds and cores. There had been no fire in the stove for two days, but the boiler had been used the same day. The boiler was bricked in. Witness left the building at 5 o'clock. Was in the office (which was near the building) «t about an hour previous to the alarm of fire. The damage ■wrought by the fire was about £500 or £600. Witness had £109 insurance on the building in the Victoria Office, and no insurance on the stock. 'Jo the Foreman—As a rule the foundry doors are fastened at night but on this occasion repairs were being made. Wiu. Judd also gave evidence, mainly corroborative. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that they are unable to Btate as to the origiu of the fire, there being nu evidence forthcoming on the pome.