Dannevirke's disastrous fire

High Street, Dannevirke, after the disastrous fire that destroyed a huge part of the main...
High Street, Dannevirke, after the disastrous fire that destroyed a huge part of the main commercial area on October 22. - Otago Witness, 31.10.1917.
Dannevirke will have good cause to long remember Labour Day, 1917, a most disastrous fire devastating the heart of the commercial area, which is now a scene of desolation, only brick walls and gaunt chimney stacks indicating where the business places were.

The blow to the town is most disastrous, as, apart from the structures and stock which perished, hundreds of employees will be thrown out of work, and a great dislocation in business must ensue before the loss can be made good. The fire bell was to have been given a trial ring at 6.30 p.m., structural alterations having just been completed; but four hours earlier it was given an urgent test on account of an outbreak in Andrew's Hotel, an immense old wooden structure situated on the corner of High and Station streets - one of the relics of the days when coaches played a part in through trips to Wellington. A westerly gale which was blowing fanned the flames from the rear of the hotel, and within three minutes the whole of the upper portion was wrapped in flames, which were licking up greedily everything in their path.

The occupants of the place barely had time to make their exit, and some housemaids had to be rescued from the balconies. Though the fire brigade was early at work, the primitive appliances which they had and the gigantic nature of the conflagration made their efforts appear puny.

Within a few minutes the whole place was a seething mass of flames, which jumped the wide street to the Dannevirke Co-operative Association's big storehouse, opposite Andrew's Hotel, and soon this was a roaring inferno, endangering also the Club Hotel, facing the railway station. Fortunately the wind was blowing away from this, and though it was in grave danger for a time it escaped.

Not so the Masonic Hotel, another ancient wood landmark on the east side of High Street. This caught, and the flames from Miller's shop spread south, and soon both sides of the main thoroughfare were being demolished with incredible rapidity. Despite the efforts of the fire-fighters the flames spread east and west, north and south.

The fire started shortly after two o'clock, and it was well on towards five o'clock before it could be said that the Dannevirke and Woodville brigades had got the upper hand. Even then the danger was not all over, hugh masses of burning debris being visible in all directions. There was no loss of life, and there were no serious accidents.

Dannevirke has undoubtedly received a terrific blow commercially, and an estimate of the loss is absolutely impossible at present.

The places destroyed - all practically a total loss - were as follows:- Andrew's Hotel, Harris and Son's livery stables, John P. Engelbretsen, draper; Theodore Wycocki, tailor; Richard Roake, auctioneer; Lee Wong, laundry; Dannevirke Co-operative Association Ltd; Arthur Henry Hill, tobacconist; Peter J Nymand, jeweller; Rosse, tailor; Thomas J. Flynn, bootmaker; B. O. Thomson, hairdresser; Edward E. Brior, chemist; Janes Neagle, motor importer; Rose (Ltd), building; John Percival Dodges, music store; Lucy Miller, confectioner; Lionel P. Bailleth, bootmaker; Drummond, Hodder, and Col, ironmongers; George L. Baillett, hairdresser and tobacconist; C. Hoper, hairdresser and tobacconist; Arthur C. Webber, bookseller; Geo. A. Charman, restaurant; Malcolm M'Callum, watchmaker; Masonic Hotel; Quing Kee and Co., fruiterers; Armstrong and Morrison, drapers; Dannevirke and Hervbertville Coaching Company; and Collett and Sons, iron foundry.

- ODT, 23.10.1917.

COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ

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