DISASTROUS FIRE AT NEWCASTLE.

Waikato Independent, Volume VII, Issue 463, 21 January 1908, Page 5

DISASTROUS FIRE AT NEWCASTLE.

WHOLE BLOCK DESTBOYED. DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT £200,000. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH COPYRIGHT | (PER PRESS* ASSOCIATION). Received Jan. 20, 3.34 p.m. Newcastle, Jan. 20. One of the most disastrous fires in the history of the town broke out this morning in Messrs Cohen and Co.'s large warehouse, situated in a block of business premises bounded by Scott, Margaret, Hunter and Wolffe Streets. The whole block was more or less damaged. The principal destruction was caused by falling walls. Cohen's warehouse was completely gutted. The other premises severely damaged were Whortling's Hotel, the School of Arts, Binsto Piano "Warehouse, Kangaroo Coupon Co., Lascer Bros, (tailors), Neves furniture Warehouse, Steggas (drapers), and a number of others slightly. The fire had a good hold when discovered, and spread with great rapidity. _ The whole of the brigades in the district were engaged in fighting the flames, and their splendid efforts succeeded in preventing a worse conflagration, and at 1.15 p.m. the fire was well in hand. The debris blocked the tramway and main railway lines, and disorganised the telephone system. Pour men were injured by collapsing walls. Bough estimates of the damage range as high as £200,000, which, it is understood, is largely covered by insurance. (Received Jan. 20, 10.20 p.m.) The origin of the fire at Cohen's is a mystery. The Jewish firm had closed business since Friday evening. The warehouse, a four storeyed one, was the largest, best-equipped and the most-heavily stocked in the State. The stock was valued at from £IOO,OOO to £220,000. At its height the fire was visible for 12 miles. The stock included a large quantity of cartridges, which were in the stored magazine, and when the flames reached them, they kept up a feu de joie for half an hour. A fireman named Basmussen came in contact with a electric wire and was almost electrocuted. He was removed to the hospital in a serious condition. Three men named Dougherty, Kirchener, and Crandle were removing property from the School of Arts, when a large mass of Cohen's wall collapsed, imprisoning them. They were rescued in quarter of a hour, much cut and bruised. They were taken to the hospital. Debris blocked the railway line, and prevented a train conveying miners to Lambton B. pit, which is idle in consequence. The lines were cleared after some hours.