The Dunedin Fire.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2022, 26 January 1887, Page 2

The Dunedin Fire.

The great fire at Guthrie and Larnach’s mills has been the absorbing topic in Dunedin. Thousands of persons bare visited the ruins. All the machinery is completely wrecked, and the only parts of the factory saved are the drying room, smithy, the top storey of the furniture department, and the iron yard. Bond street is literally filled with bricks, stones, Ac., and judging from the look of the street, it is almost a miracle that not more lives were lost. Several brigade men are more or less injured, but noue very seriously. The result of the fire will throw out of employment close on 150 men, mostly skilled workmen. Several workmen are heavy losers, their tools being destroyed, some of them having had nearly £IOO worth on the premises.

The following insurances are at present known ; Now t Zealand £ 1500, South British £7500, Mutual £2OOO, Royal £2250, Northern £IOOO, Victoria £2OOO, Liverpool, London and Globe £SOOO, Norwich Union £SSO, .Liondouaud Lancashire £SOOO, United £l7uo, Union of New Zealand £ISOO, Sun £2OOO, Phtenix £2500, Equitable £750, Continental and English offices not represented in the colonies £11,250.

An inquest was held ou the bodies of the four men who lost their lives at the fire. The fourth body has been recognised as that of Richard Pascoe a seaman; and the verdict was that the deceased, 11, E Esquilant, Robert Wills, Andrew Millar, and Richard Pascoe, met death by accident, A rider was added, expressing sympathy with Mrs Esquilant, aud expressing a iiope that Francis McEwau, Fireman McKenzie, aud Constables Chisholm aud Clark, would receive some lilting reward for their conduct, which was deserving of great praise.