Fire Had Firm Grip.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18013, 25 November 1926, Page 7

Fire Had Firm Grip.

BRIGADE MADE TWO HOURS’ FIGHT IN HEREFORD SJ- BLAZE. LOAN AND MERCANTILE LOSE OFFICE STOCKS. A fight of nearly two hours’ duration against stifling heat and suffocating fumes and smoke was made by the Christchurch Fire Brigade this morning 1 , when, in answer to a call at 7.30 o’clock, they turned out to deal with a fire at the Hereford Street premises of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile -Agency Com pany. The fire was not of the blazing, spectacular type, but for the firemen it offered difficulties that are not encountered when the flames arc leaping and roaring. It was a fiercely smouldering fire that refused to yield. There was more smoke than flame, and the heat was that of a red-hot oven—stifling. Against this, and through smoke that could almost be cut with a knife, the firemen had to fight, taking a nozzle to the unknown seat of the fire. A hose was attached to a hydrant, and three men in masks fought their way to the blaze. Up three flights of stairs to the top floor they struggled, blinded and not knowing what danger was in store for them. Choking and gasping for breath in smoke-filled rooms that grew hotter as the seconds ticked by, they were forced to await a tell-tale blaze. A wisp of flame over .there —Ah, at last! Flinging themselves to the floor, the men at the nozzle turned the first water on the flame, and for half an hour they stuck it out, sickening with the fumes. In spite of the water, the heat grew worse. But through a window in front of the building came another stream of water—from the extension ladder. Down below the firemen had seen the difficulty of those fighting the fire hand to hand, and had run up the extension ladder. This brought relief, and under the force of two powerful jets the fire began to give wav. The smoke cleared, but the terrific heat remained. It was possible now to see the seat of the outbreak. It was a large recess off a passage where stocks of stationery were kept. These were smouldering still, jind refused to be put out. After an hour, the extension ladder was taken down, but it was still necessary to have a hose playing on the fire for the smouldering would cease in one place only to break out ill another. Water saturated the flour, and broke through to the rooms below, pouring down in streams upon the equipment and doing great damage. Tarpaulins tßere secured and spread over as much of the damageable property as possible. The premises of the Union Assurance , Office suffered considerably in this respect. The water was flowing down the stairs and leaking through the ceiling and so damaged the main offices of the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company. The top floor, where the outbreak occurred, was used only for storing stationery, all of- which was destroyed. The walls' toere seriously damaged, and a great hole was burnt through the roof. Had the brigade been called later the damage Would have been considerably greater. Estimates of the damage have not been ascertained. The alarm was raised by Mr tl. Harrison, who, while crossing High Street, noticed smoke coming from the roof of the building. The insurances were, £6,900 on the building, £550 on stationery. £3OO on fixtures and fittings, and £3OO on furniture and general equipment, a total of £B*oso, in the Union Assurance Office.