SEVENTY THOUSAND POUNDS OF DAMAGE BY THE FIRE DEMON IN THE HEART OF WELLINGTON CITY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7, 14 August 1912, Page 20

SEVENTY THOUSAND POUNDS OF DAMAGE BY THE FIRE DEMON IN THE HEART OF WELLINGTON CITY.

waa eomDletel? "leuviim/ t ? hubdulTl’n’, “ I J ric . k .,building situated on Lambton Quay, and the centre of a serious outbreak in 1906. was the scene of a disastrous conflagration on Wednesday morning, when the building later the devistatiii" ti’inies h-wt •« fLi-™ Wl .tn Zlm s , and ,! ,ak^ < * st f. e £* r^ei J’ a,l<l a Heavy stock of stationery, books, and printing material destroyed. The tire was first noticed about 7.30 a.m.. but by the time the brigade arrived a few minutes straight un laden with smirks and bbizin <»• JL! ’n.SF! pa . l ' t '. Des l )lte the efforts of the tire-tighters, a lamentable sight soon presented itself. A great column of smoke rose above the roaring flames, bursting from the roof, and this column rose island Bav. But the wind was not on the Uro* Tht- ■■' u PP er current of air, when it was deflected, and its burden of sparks and light embers distributed southward. Burnt paper from the tire fell at Brooklyn, and as far south as "’. \ . ' , • in’er, >‘,l tuaat Vi’-] as < J 1? °P ini °u of some insurance men nothing could have saved the block had a gale been blowing. Good work was done in preventing the spread of the tire to adjoining buildings te • iue total damage is estimated at seventy thousand pounds. Insurances on stock and building totalled £46,870. The photographs give views of the rear and front of the building.