FIRE MANIAC’S WORK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 173, 23 July 1929, Page 7

FIRE MANIAC’S WORK

HEAVY CHRISTCHURCH LOSSES [ Per Preu Association. J CHRISTCHURCH, July 22. Damage estimated at £lO.OOO was done last night when the bulk store of J. M. Heywood, Ltd. Dundas street, was damaged by fire. The outbreak was, it is believed, the work of a fire maniac who 'is at large in the city. The padlock was missing from the front door the building being open earlier in the evening. blight damage was done to the sample rooms of Ambler and Company in Hereford Place by an incendiarist who smashed a glass panel in & doo r and set fire to the cloth cover over some goods.

Heywood’s building was full of furniture in cases, the property of clients of the company. This hitd ap parently been deliberately ignited and the dry timber of the cases and furniture burnt furiously. When the storeman left the promises at noon on Saturday the building was safe and was carefully locked up. The outbreak was discovered at 11.22 last evening. With a constable only ten yards away an incendiarist set fire at about 8 o’clock to the sample rooms of Ambler and Co., which are next to the garage of R. C. Dobson, which twice previously had been set alight. Slight damage was done. When the fire was detected the glass panel in a door had been smashed and stuffed into this gap was a motorist’s wflitc dustcoat which is now in the possession of the police. It is probable that the incendiarist used tho coat to cover his hand when he smashed the glass in. the door. He apparently put a light to the cloth dust cover which had been laid over the goods. This cover was burnt and the goods which were underneath were badly charred. A sum of £25 will cover the damage. Other sensational incidents during the week-end was an attempt early on Sunday morning to enter the shop of Hammond and Turner, Ltd., the premises in which Mr E. Hammond was seriously wounded by a burglar on Tuesday night. A heavy glass panel was smashed in the front door, but the burglar was unable to mani-p / te the locks aud could not gain a* | ' tance. By a similar method of self help a grocery shop in Lincoln Road was entered at about the same time, but nothing was stolen.