A WELLINGTON BLAZE.

Wairarapa Age, 13 March 1922, Page 5

A WELLINGTON BLAZE.

TEN HOUSES DESTROYED. LOSS ABOUT £30,000. Wellington, March 11.—One of the worst residential area fires in the history of Wellington occurred this morning, between 7.30 and 9 o’clock, when the whole of the buildings in Maurice Terrace, on the slope facing Upper Willis street, and comprising eight large two-storey houses aud two houses in McKenzie Terrace (situated just ;.t the back of Wclli: gton Terrace), were totally destroyed in a little over an h ur. The work of the Fire Brigade was hampered, as it was in the case of at least two great local fires in the pfest. by failure of the high-pressure water supply; this was due to a break in the Wainui main. No pressure could be obtained from near-by hydrants, a id it was not till a lead of 1500 feet of hose was taken over the hill from Kel burn that sufficient water could be obtained to have an effect on the fire. This new supply of water, reaching the scene shortly after 9 o’clock, over an hour and a half after the outbreak, was concentrated on the north end or the blaze, where the tenth house was gaing up in flames, and the efforts of the Central Brigade, supplemented by suburban and auxiliary fighter-, succeeded a little later in cutting off the fire from further advance towa :.ls | Mount street and The Terrace proper. Had it not been for this single lead of high-pressure water from the Kel burn high-level system, concentrated by every conceivable appliance at critical time on the danger-zone of the fire, nothing could have stopped its progress into the popular residence area’s in Mount street and The Terrace. It is hard to sec where the fi ’ • would have stopped without such a precious supply of water applied in the very nic4c of time. The eight Maurice Terrace houses destroyed were all substantial twoftorey residences of superior type, and the two in McKenzie Terrace were modern commodious houses. The total loss (for nothing is left of the houses but the high chimneystacks standing like the columns of a ruined temple) is estimated at between £25.000 and £30,000, and the loss to the insurance companies is put down at about £20,000. Following are details of the owners and occupiers of the houses destroyed in Maurice Terrace (starting from the south end): — No. 25.—Mrs R. Berry, owner a.-d occupier, with daughter and five girl student?. as boai.’ers. No. 23.—Mr J. L. Morrison, owner and occupier, who was absent at Lit time. Two occupants. No. 21.—Mr J. Harle, owner and occupier, with Mrs Harle and two children dnd two lady visitors from New Plymouth. No. 19. —Mr T. Sime, owner and oc eupier, with family. No. 17. —Mrs Barker and her son Mr N. A. J. Barker, occupier of ton ’ floor. Mr and Mrs Percy South, occi.- ’ pit rs of bottom floor Y“. 15. —Mrs J. Raines, owner ail occupier. No. 13.—Mr Charles Bush, owner and occupier. ♦ No. 11. Mr J. Mathers. In McKenzie Terrace:— No. 9, Public Trustee, in the estate of the Into Mrs A. D. Welch, occupie ly Mr Fiank W. Bell, with family. No. 7, Mrs M. Mc.Gavin, owner and oceuj ier. No. 5, Captain Smith, was damaged by scorching and excessive heat. I Other adjoining houses were more or less scorched. THE INSURANCES. Th* list is not yet complete, but the foll<r "g amounts have been ascertaine • — Mi - B. L. Berry: House, £l5OO in the Standard Office; furniture, £390 in the Atlas. ,Mr J. L. Morrison: House, £1500: f urn it re, £BOO, both in the South British. Mr C. Bush: House, £9OO in the Sun Office Mr P. A. South: Furniture, £2OO in United Office. W< ’ch Estate: House £6OO in Comi •en ' - 1 Union. Mrs Barker: Furniture, etc., £425 in the Sun Office. Mr J. Mathers: Furniture, £3OO, in the Sun Office. Mrs McGavin: Furniture. £575 in State Fire Office; house, £6OO in the Standard Office. /Mr James Si th- Furniture and effects in No. 5. McKenzie Terrace (damaged by fire), £10) in State Fire Office. The fire is stated to have started in M’<- Rainc’s hou.-e, through the accidental upsetting of an oil stove.