ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8003, 5 May 1904, Page 3

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

j MORRIN'S STOCK. [From Otm Cobbespondbst.] The fire in Morrin's isJthe first serious fire since the reorganisation of the Fire Brigade. The building runs from Hagn Street to Coburg Street, and but for the Coburg Street frontage, which was saved by fireproof doors, the building would havo been completely destroyed. The origin of the fire is a complete mystery, as on the floor where the fire started, there was prao- ; tically nothing that would burn except the floors, the stock stored there being heavy machinery, agricultural implements, etc. THE EXPLOSIONS. Some explosives were stored in the lower floor, and when the fire reached these, there was a series of loud explosions, and large quantities of iron, bricks, etc., were oarried into the streets, several firemen and onlookers being slightly iniored. The most regrettable incident of the fire occurred about half-past two in the morning, when the whole of the north wall fell outward, and three firemen were thrown over (and. injured by the falling bricks. Fireman Ludlow had a leg broken, Fireman Macauley some ribs broken, and Gladding got some internal injuries, all three being,, in addition, badly cut and wounded. ; ' THE INSURANCES. The stock is rougfily valued at £60,000, and the building, which belongs to the Assets Realisation, Board, the firm of Morrin holding it with a purchasing clause, is valued at about £20,000. The insurance on the building and stock is between £48,000 and £50 000 in the New Zealand office, but is well spread by re-insurance over tha various offices. ' THiE COMPANY'S STOCK. The company had consignments from four large steamers last week, and had just completed stocking when the fire occurredThe stock was the miscellaneous one of a general ironmongery business, and was valued at between £50,000 and £60,000. Practically nothing of the 'contents in the great store, reaching from High Street back to Bowen Avenue^ was saved from damage, either : by fire or water. The shipping offices on the ground floor and the general offices on the first floor have com:, pletely disappeared. Practically, the west- t crn buildings were gutted, except the stables. The floor fronting on Coburg Street, and the watchman's residence on the 'floor above these, were greatly safeguarded by two large fireproof doors. INJURED -FIREMEN. During the progress of the fire some of the firemen were injured. Foreman Moore, of the City Corps, whilst attempting to enter a doorway on the ground floor at the back of the burning block, gofc jammed. His coat sleeves were burned and his back was liberally bespattered with molten lead by the time Captain Field was able to csrag him from his precarious .position. Moore was disabled 1 for a while, but presently resumed the battle with the flames. He has been a ffir-eman for twenty -four years. On getting free^he declared that he had just been in the tightest corner of his lifol Fireman W. Alexander fell off the roof of the burning building at the back, after one of the explosions, and was severely shaken, though not seriously injured. Fireman Gray was overcome by smoke and had to be supported out of the burning area -at the back to the opposite side of the road. Subsequently he returned to his duties. Superintendent, Wo«£ley, in the thick of work, was overcome by heat and smoke shortly after arriving on the soene, but he soon recovered. Several firemen met with slight mishaps, such as. sprained, qnkles, ' etc. Some men from the Iris were also hurt by-' an explosion. Before the fire had progressed- fax word was passed along that explosives were stored in the vault in th© southern end of the building, and many spectators moved back and viewed the -fire from safer points. . DANGEROUS EXPLOSIONS. FLYINQ DEBRIS. Just 'before twelve o'clock there was an explosion, attended by a shower of broken glass, which struck a number <>f ipeople. One or two sustained cuts, Constaible Lipscombe being out about the face, and (having to seek medical aid. Shortly before halfpast twelve a greater explosion look place. Huge pieces of flying timber, Tolls of partly fused wire netting, pieces of sheet rion^ and broken hardware, shot high into the «i» and fell' some (hundred yards from the fire. Two rolls of glowing wire netting fell in front of his Majesty's Theatre andi broke down some telegraph wires. Two great pieces of blazing thnber«, as large as irailway sleepers, fell between the Police Court and Jordan's Clothing'' Factory. The wire which fell in 1 front of the theatre struck one man, and others in $ie vicinity had a narrow escape. A man walking up Queen, Street in. front of the Union Bank of Australasia, was struck on the nead by a flying piece of brick, and was taken away in a cab. Several people landing in front of the ibnrning building were also struck. by the falling glass. One fireman, who was on tihe roof at the back of the 'building 'when the first explosion occurred, : foil off, and. was rather badly hurt. The force of tihe concussions was very £Teat, and one effect was the shattering of several windows on the High Street side of the Central Hotel, as well a* those of some adjacent buildings. A SPECTATOR INJURED/ A third explosion occurred at one o'clock. By this time most of the spectators had gone home, and, -as far' as could be ascertained, no one was Injured. *Mr 'Newburn, "a, Cook Street resident, was one oi those injured in the second explosion. He sustained a scalp wound through something falling on Mm. The wound is not a very serious one. The second explosion broke two windows in the side of Messrs Adams and Bunker's tailoring establishment, at the corner of Durham Sti-eet and Queen Street, and a coil of red not wire netting alighted on r the roof of the Masonic Club, neoefc door. The origin of the fire is a. complete mystery) Mr M'Farlane, the secretary of tJie company, was the last to leave the tw»&ding, but is unable to suggest any theory.