DESTEUCTIVE FIRE IN BROAD WAY.

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1332, 5 December 1883, Page 2

DESTEUCTIVE FIRE IN BROAD WAY.

« Another of those dreadful visitations which,' in little Wore than three years, nave thrice swept the best business blocks of Broadway, occurred at an early hour yesterday morning. The scene of devastation on the present occasion is the block extending west oi the intersection of Smith-street, and the narrative of the course of the destruction, which hardly lasted longer than twenty-five minutes, toay be told in a few words. At exactly twentyfive minutes past 8 a in. yesterday the town was startled by the violent beating of Dawson'"s gong. The beating of the gong as a warning of fire was an event so unexpected that even those who heard it could hardly realise for some minutes the real cause, iut '.all doubt on > the subiect was 'qmclirly banished' by a tei&bie glai'e of light which burst forth like an explosion from the lower pait of the town, when people hurried frantically to the scene. It was only then that the fire bell pealed forth its warning, but by this time the flames had got such a lnastry that little or nothing could be done ; a wild rush was, however, made for the engine and hose, but in tho absence of any control or organisation the confusion was complete, and before the hydrant could be brought into play the tire had spanned the whole of the doomed buildings, and all human aid was powerless. Where •or how the fire originated is involved in mystery, but the supposition is that it started somewhere near the fire place in the front parlor of Quigley's Hotel. It is clear at all events that wherever it commence it must have been smoldering for some time, and crept along the full length of the ceiling inside, for within three minutes of the .beating of the gong the building was wrapped in flames from end to end. Mr Quigley with his wife and family and the other inmates of the hotel escaped naked into the street, being unatle to save a shred of clothing, and that they escaped at all is astonishing indeed. Our reporter was on the scene just as the fire bell rang, and Quigley's ' otel was then in full blaze ; a stiff breeze was blowing to the west, and in a couple of minutes later Bell's fancy goods shop adjoining was enveloped in fire, Budge's boot shop next door, and Pick's butchry fell in succession to the flames, and here a right-of-way intervened

separating Colling s boot store, and ' little fear was entertained of the conflagration- over-leaping tbe vacancy. The spread of the flames up to this point l^id been astonishingly rapid, so, much so that scarcely anything was got oat of the burning houses, and it was not until Dick's premisus, the last , of the doomed row, was in full blaze that the engine was brought into play, and even then there was not more than half the pressure of which the engine is capable. "Fortiuiately the wind changed as the fire reached the right of way, and to this circumstance uiay be attributed the arrest of the progress of the fire. The insurances are giveh as follows :— Qnigley's (Oxley's) Hotel, L 450 in the Standard aud L2OO in the Scottish Imperial ; Bell, L2OO on the premises in the Imperial ; also som-ething on stock ; Budge, L2OO io the Imperial ; Dick, L2OO, in the Standard. Cbllings is insured, but his loss was 'almost nil, the premises bealniost uninjured, and the stock having been.all removed in bags and boxes suffererl iio injury whatever. An inquiry will probably be held as to the origin of !the fire.