COURTENAY PLACE FIRE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 23 December 1927, Page 5

COURTENAY PLACE FIRE.

MAGIC CAVE BLAZE. NARROW ESCAPES FROM DEATH. (By, Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday, v A tire broke out in Mr Norman Aitken’s Book Arcade in Courtenay Place .at about 4.1.3 o’clock this afternoon, the occupants of the Magic Cave .had a narrow escape from death. The fire, it is believed, was probably •caused by a wire in the toy cave fusing. The cave was manufactured of Highly inflammable matter, and burst into flames at once. The two fairies, young girls'of PJ and 14, escaped from the cave only just in time, while the clothes of Father Christmas caught tire, and he managed -to free himself from the heavy gown barely in time to •escape serious injury.. One employee of the firm, Mrs X. burnt on the left arm, face .and n£ek, and was taken by the ambulance to her home in Willis street. The -other girls reached the street without

injury. * The Fire Brigade was promptly -‘it the spot and suppressed the fire in half .an hour. Tarpaulins were spread over the counters in the toy department, 'fyi.d'saved much of the stock from serious damage. The outberak was localised on the first floor, where the building and stock were damaged by fire, smoke and water. The st-ock in the book department -on the ground floor escaped injury, but - most of the goods upstairs suffered. The stock was insured for £5230 in the Standard Insurance Company, and for .£250 in the Victoria Insurance Company. The fittings were insured for :£SOO in the Standard Office.