Big fire at Port Chalmers

ONE OF the largest and most destructive fires that the Port Chalmers Fire Brigade has been called upon to cope with for some considerable time, occurred yesterday, when the wool and grain stores, offices, and dumping plant of Messrs John Mill and Co. were completely destroyed. The fire, which started about 12.45pm, is supposed to have originated among a quantity of flax hemp stored in the building. At the time of the outbreak one clerk was in the office, and three other men were having their lunch in the

building. On the first alarm the clerk rushed out of the office to ring up the brigade, but on his endeavouring to return to the room to close the safe he was unable to do so on account of the dense volume of smoke which filled the building.

After a fruitless endeavour to shut the safe the four occupants had to rush from the offices to save themselves, leaving all the books and records to the mercy of the flames.

The Fire Brigade arrived on the scene in less than five minutes after the receipt of the alarm, but by this time dense smoke was pouring from the windows, doors, etc. As far as could be gathered about 200 bales of wool, along with about 68,000 bales of hemp, were destroyed, also a number of cases of tinned meats, which were in the store. The wool had been placed in the stores by Messrs Donald Reid and Co. and Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co, for shipment to the owners — the Imperial Authorities — by the Verdun.