FIRES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2391, 5 January 1909, Page 4

FIRES.

A STEAMER, FIRE

[PitEsa Association. “J

AUCKLAND, Jan. 4 A fire occurred on Saturday night aboard the Northern Company steamer Waimarie, which was f at tho wharf. The fire is supposed? have started ip the galley, and rip great rapidity spread to' the p antr “ and saloon, all the fittings of were destroyed. The interior of vessel now presents a very charr> / ■ appearance. The engines .awl car? were not damaged. ’-s* ™ BLAZE AT DANNEVIRKE. DANNEVIRKE. j a „. 4 About G o’clock on Saturday night a fire occurred -at Wylie and Co.’s premises, occupied jjy R. 0 \ Patterson and Co., land and estate * agents and accountants; and Wylie i and Co. grocers. The fire apparently I started in the offices of J. J, Patter- 1 son, from some unknown cause, r \ obtained a firm hold in that portion of the building, and spread to the * upper storey. The brigade was soon on the scene, and quickly subdued the flames, although a gale' was blowing, and serious damage was anticipated. R. G. Patterson and Co. s u p fered severely, and Wylie and Co. lose about £2{j through water. The premises are in the estate of J. j. Patterson, bankrupt, and the business of Wylie and Co. belongs to the estate of 11. G. Patterson and Co. and has nothing to do with the bankruptcy beyond occupying the offices.---' The insurances are not available.

A CHINESE LAUNDRY BURNED. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 4. An old wooden two-storey building, used as a Chinese laundry,'was totally destroyed by fire at 2.15 yesterday morning. The occupants, two Chinese, just got out in time. The building was owned by T. Dixon, and was insured in the South British for £l5O. .

THE WAIROA FiRE.

FURTHER. PARTICULARS

[Special to “Times.”]

WAIROA. Jan. 4. The most disastrous fire in the history of Wairoa occurred on Sunday morning. It started at 1.20 a.m. in the “East Coast Mail” office, and de- j molished that office and the premiss of Broad and Tristram (chemists). G. G. Chapman (draper and milliner), and J. Holt (ironmonger and'vt timber merchant). The origin of the - fire is a mystery. There had been a heavy north-westerly wind blowing all day but luckily it diminished a good deal during the night and changed to due north, otherwise nothing could h tve saved the eastern portion of the town. The damage is estimated at between £6OOO and £7OOO. This fire -has made the townspeople realise that a fire brigade is urgently needed and had we had one yesterday morning the damage done would probably not have’been worth mentioning. ' and Tristram’s and Chapman’s bunS? ing was the newest and most handsome building in A airoa. A' SUFFERER\S EXPERIEXCES. Mr J. J. Chapman, whose-insineJS place was destroyed in the Wairoa fire on Sunday morning arrived :n Gisborne on Monday, having ridden - through, and courteously gave some particulars of the outbreak to a “Times” -reporter. The fire broke out, he said, in the “East Coast Mail” Printing and Publishing Company’s premises at about 2 a.wtr When discovered, the flames steady hold of tbo premises, and fanned by a strong breeze, soon spread to the adjoining structure, a new two-storey building, only erected three months ago by Messrs Broad and Trisram; chemists, a Napier firm, and occupied conjointly by themselves and Mr Chapman. Although he resided only 200 yards away from Ins shop, Mr Chapman states that- on arrival at the scene his premises were doomed. -Pushing open the door, with the intention of rescuing Ins books and papers, he found the had too strong a hold, and he forced to retreat. Not £1 worth was saved from the three places, t-io ’ “Mail” office, Messrs Broad and Tristram, or his own. A space of but 30ft divided the burning buildings from Miss Powdrell's house, winch, with the flames fanned in that direction. was in great danger of being also consumed: in fact, it- was aught several times, and but for the splendid work by the band of who formed, a bucket brigade*-- J would certainly have gone, with disastrous results to the rest of town, as five or six other buildingsincluding the post office and C° nr J" house, must also have been burinFortunately, at this stage, the v 111 a subsided and saved the situation, bn • to the cost of another unfortunate business man on the upper side. V)jw surprising rapidity the fiaiues. owed by the change in the breeze, spread rapidly iiu tho opposite direction, am attacked the premises of Mr Job Holt, ironmonger, furnisher- and timber merchant. The building A” soon a mass of flames, which continued on through the adjoining sectio occupied by Mr Holt as a timber yard, where a scow load of TUI was destroyed. Further progress was stopped by an intersecting toad. Wairoa, Mr Chapman added, had boon very free from fires ot r years, but this was probably the severe ono (recorded, since - - ‘ Broad and Tristram’s buildings con prised tho two finest shops m township. The loss was estimated between £7OOO and £BOOO. On- » amining his safe, Air Chapman that Ins books, etc., had • through the ordeal safely. Al - - 4 dairy Is to be held as to the o.»S£ of the fire, which at presen aS known. Mr Chapman, who carrying a stock represent in--'- 0 f .O.r £I6OO, is a. loser to the fully £SOO, and stated he „bf reaT s, burnt out twice in the last fi .• ; n the former occasion hupp 7dow Now South Wales; on each * •• the fire starting a few doors, from his premises.