Rarotonga Store

Burned Out

Shortly after mid-day, on November 5, a fire, believed ■o have been started by an mextinguished cigarette butt, completely destroyed the offices md store of the United Islands Trading Company of Raro tonga.

Mr. W. H. Watson, Man iger of UIT, had only just eft for lunch. He returned to lis store a few minutes later md found the building blaz ng furiously.

The fire is believed to have tarted in the paint store, and mined a rapid hold due to a resh NE wind. There are no cater mains in Rarotonga, but he fire engine of the Airways department arrived in an imazingly short time from likao Airstrip, two miles \way.

When the fire engine’s water upply gave out, water was i umped from the nearby igoon, but it soon became bvious that the store could M be saved and efforts were oncentrated on saving ad acent buildings.

There were no casualties as he fire occurred during the inch hour, but some nearby Taori homes were damaged Extensions were being made ) the store when the fire roke out.

Mr. Watson thanked the umerous people who helped i the fire-fighting. A much nailer store, situated a short istance away, was hastily inverted to accommodate an looming shipment of goods, nd it ’is understood that a ew store will be built on the fe of the one lost by fire.

-W.H.P.