FIRE IN COLOMBO STREET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3358, 13 January 1879, Page 3

FIRE IN COLOMBO STREET.

A fire broke out at about one o'clock yesterday morning in the premises occupied as a fancy goods shop by a Chinaman named Ah Ting, on the east side of Colombo street between Cashel and Lichfield streets. The first to notice the outbreak was Constable Little, who was on duty near the Al Hotel, and whoso attention was attracted to a noise, which proved to be caused by the explosion of a quantity of Chinese crackers in Ah Ting's shop. The constable hurried to the spot, and having sent a man named Charles Anderson to ring the firebell at the Lichfield street station, set to work to rouse the inmates of the houses adjoining. Ah Ting did not live on the premises. By this time the. fire was spreading with great rapidity, and Mr and Mrs Schourup, who lived next door to Ah Ting's, and under the same roof, were barely able to escape in their niglit dresses. The alarm having been rung at the Liehfield street station, wasimmediately echoed from Chester street, and from the first-named the hand engine and the "Deluge" were dispatched to the fire, whither they were speedily followed by the "Extinguisher." From the "Deluge" two lines of hose were laid onto the rear and front respectively of the burning buildings, the water being supplied from the sump communicating with the Tuam street tank. The hand engine and "Extinguisher" were brought to bear upon the front, the last being stationed on the Cashel street bridge. The Brigade, under Superintendent Harris and the Fire Police together with the Constabulary, under Superintendent Broham and Inspector Hickson were all promptly at the fire, and each body deserved very great credit for the services it performed. The firebeUs did not ring long, and in consequence the crowd was not so large as usual. Thanks to the exertions of the Brigade, the fire, which was situated in a closely-built block, was confined to the premises in which it began, and was got under in the course of less than half an hour. As usual, however, a great deal of damage was sustained by the neighbours through" the recklessness or want of judgment of those who volunteered assistance in removing goods. The total cse cannot be exactly estimated, but from the following particulars some idea of it may be formed. Ah Ting has lost the whole of his stock, &c, which was insured, but for what amount was not ascertained. It is supposed to have been worth between £200 and £300. Mr Schourup has lo3t everything, urobably between £800 and £900 worth. Mr James Wilson, baker, and Mr William Thompson, grocer, on the one side, and Mrs Atack, grocer, on the other, have suffered considerable loss and, unfortunately for the first-named, lie is uninsured. The insurances, so far as ascertained, are as follow: —Mr Schourup, £400 on his furniture (there was also £600 on the building) ; Mr Thompson, £200 in the New Zealand and £200 in the National Insurance offices, on his furniture and stock; Mrs Atack, £100 on her furniture and stock and £100 on the building, in the Liverpool, London and Globe office. Two casualties are reportod to have happened. One was to a drunken man, who fell through Mr Wilson's verandah. Besides sustaining a shock from the fall, he was considerably cut about the ItoUl ajI — "fl>w was a similar accident to a young man, who fell througn mu . 1..1,, and cut one of his hands badly. The buildings were smouldering during the whole of yesterday, and at about 7 last niglit the Deluge was brought out and played upon them till the embers were thoroughly extinguished.