EIRE AT LYTTELTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5655, 28 August 1896, Page 3

EIRE AT LYTTELTON.

SEVERAL SHOPS DESTROYED

About 2.30 this morning 1 a fire broke out in London Street, Lyttelton, in a double shop occupied by Mr .W. G. Johnston, tailor, and Mr Richdale, confectioner. Owing to the absurdly inadequate means supplied for giving an alarm, the fire had assumed a good hold before the Brigade, under Superintendent Toomey, got on the scene. By this time the fire was rapidly spreading right and left, to a shop occupied by Mrs Devereaux as a drapery store on the one side, and to Messrs Owen and Dyer's, butchers, on the other. With commendable promptitude tlie Brigade got five branches playing on to the flames, three from London Street and two from Canterbury Street; but in spite of the excellent flow of water, and the fact that there was no wind, the fire was not got imder before the shops occupied by Mrs Devereaux, Mr Johnston and Mr Richdale were gutted, and considerable damage had been done to Messrs Owen and Dyer's. The origin of the fire is unknown, but those who were earliest on. the spot are of opinion that ir. broke out in the partition between Johnston's and Bichdale's.

The brigade continued to pour water into the several buildings until about 4 a.m., when it was apparently out. However, a couple of hours later a slight blaze appeared, but was extinguished with a couple of buckets of water.

The whole of the buildings belong to Mr T. Mutton, and two of them — the double shop occupied by Johnston and Richdale — were leased to Mr T. Preece, of Christchurch.

Tlie insurances on the buildings are .£IOO each on Owen and Dyer'B and Devereaux's in the Manchester, and ,£2OO on the double shop in the New Zealand. With the exception of Owen and Dyer's, the buildings are beyond repair, and Mr Mutton is therefore a heavy loser. The insurance on the stock is .£IOO on Owen and Dyer's in the Phcenix, .£SO on . Johnston's in the Manchester and .£l5O on Devereaux's in the London, Liverpool and Globe. Mr Richdale, who was from home, had no insurance on his stock, and loses everything. Mr Johnston and Mrs Devereaux are both heavy losers outside the amounts of their respective policies.