FIRE SWEEPS TOWN

Wairarapa Daily Times, 15 January 1932, Page 5

FIRE SWEEPS TOWN

WHANGAREI ABLAZE. ENORMOUS LOSS. WHANGAREI, Thursday. Never since the great fire which swept the town centre of Whangarei about 36 years ago has such a conflagration raged here as bno whieli broke out just before seven o’clock to-night, involving one of the most' important business blocks in the heart of the town, located in Bank Street, near its junction with Cameron Street. The fire originated in the back portion of the Farmers’ Union Trading Company’s largo general merchandise premises, which are constructed of brick and concrete, three storeys high at the back and two iu front.

The brigade was quickly on the scene when the fire was visible through a window of the basement. Though the brigade attacked the outbreak from three sides of the building, with a moderate water pressure, the flames quickly spread through the interior. Billows of smoke were issuing from the eastern windows at 7.10 p.m., when a member of the firm’s staff rushed in and removed a box of explosives. Five minutes later, flames woro visible on the top storey. Shortly before 8 o ’clock the whole structure was a terrific inferno, with flames issuing from every aperture and from the roof. The adjoining buildings on either side, liosking’s Drapery Emporium and Chaplin’s (tobacconist) and East (fruiterer) were also well alight by this time. The walls of the Farmers’ premises collapsed at S.lO o ’clock and those of llosking’s shop ten minutes later. Other occupiers of shops in the vicinity removed portion of their stocks, the remainder being damaged by smoke and water. The scene presented a dazzling spectacle, observable over many miles radius. The loss, which is not yet ascertainable, will bo enormous. Telephone and telegraphic services to the north are largely disorganised. The outbreak was well under control at 9 o’clock. —(P.A.)