BIG BLAZE AT THORNDON.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 62, 10 September 1904, Page 5

BIG BLAZE AT THORNDON.

AN OIL STORE ON FIRE. SPLENDID SPECTACLE AND HEAVY LOSSES. Tho spectacle of a fire fed by oils and scattered by explosions is an uncommon one, bub such a sight was witnessed last night by several thousands of citizens just off thd northern end of Thorndon Esplanade. The origin of tho conflagration is unknown, and as thcro wns no alarm raised by tho ringing of the city's firo bells, citieons were only mado awaro of tho frro when tho flames had taken full control, and were standing out brightly in tho northorn sky against the dark background of tho Kaiwarra hills. A southerly wind drove the dense masses of smoke to tho north, and so left the spectators in tho city a clear view of one of the finest firo spoctacks ever presented ,in Wellington. Tho scene of tho firo was on that pieco of ground juul out3ido the city's northern boundary, and sometimes known as tho Kaiwarra Flat. Hero a number of wood-and-iron storos wero erected by various firms for tho safe keeping of oils and other dangerous goods. This group of buildings extends from a fow hundred yards beyond tho Esplanade Hotol. In their order from the south tho first two Bhoda belong to Messrs. W. nnd G. Turnbull and Co., tho next is used by Mossrs. Briscoe and Co. as a general bond, thon conies Mossrs. Johnston and Co.'s store, and beyond this wore two buildings belonging to Messrs. Kempthorne, Prosser, and Co., and the most northern store was tho property of tho Colonial Oil Company. This was the group of buildings threatened by the conflagration, but only tho three most northern stores and their contonts were destroyed. Mr. Newbold, who is on tho staff of one of tho city's insurance offices, was on his way home to Khandnllah shortly after 10 o'clock, when ho saw tho second building from tho northorn end {Messrs. Kempthorne, Prosser, and Co.'s} alive with fire." Boing unable to get a telephone at tho Esplanade Hotol, Mr. Nowbold mado his way to one of the electric alarms, found the glass broken, pressed tho button, and then, to make assurance doubly sure, rang up the fire station on Messrs. Banks's telephone. As tho fire was outsidq tho city boundary — in which case tho Superintendent uses his discretion as to what shall be done — Superintendent Hugo did not ring the general alarm, which would have called in tho South Wellington Brigade. The firebell was not rung until 10.50 o'clock, when tho Brigade was at work on the fire. Taking with him the Brigade from tho Central Station, Superintendent Hugo was quickly on the spot. He found that tho nearest fire-plug was 1600 feet away, opposite tho Zig-zag at tho foot of Tinakoriroad. A splendid pressure of water was at the disposal of the Brigade, which fought a fight all night against tromendous odds and amidst mach risk, great heat, and many dangers. There was no protection for the firemen. Great sheets o.f flames, rising at times hundreds of feet in tho air and with a length and depth of some twenty yards, roso as a wall, and upon tbis oil-fed mass the outpouring of water seemed but to stimulate the fury of tho firo. Added to tho fiorceness of tho flames were frequent explosions, as the fire ran amongst the miscellaneous stock of dangerous goods stored in Messrs. Kompthorne, Prossor, and Co.'s building. Tho explosions of cylinders containing nitrous oxido gas — the gas which is used by dentists for painless extraction purposes — provided exciting moments foi tho spectators and really dangerous episodes lor tho fire-fighters. The cylinders wero bomb-liko in their explosions, and tore through the sides of the buildings with groat force. When the fire spread to the Kempthorne premises, nt» it wry rapidly did, variety was lent to the spectacular phase of tho conflagration by tho admixture of colour to the kerosene flames — sulphur, naphtha, and acids of all kinds, went to add tone, depth, and vividness to tho picture. Tho crowd wero so enamoured of tho scene that they watched the spectacle until long after nydnight, and at 2.30 o'clock this morning there weresomo hundreds of spectators on the spot — and tho firo waa still blazing furiously at that hour. The firemen continued fighting the flftmes all tho morning, giving their attention particularly to the pile of kerosene tine upon tho site of tho Oil Company's store, which bad provided something luce 60,000 gallons of kerosene to feed tho fknncc*. Superintendent Hugo, who had had previous experience with oil fires in Australia nnd elsewhere, saw at once that the Oil Company's (store must see itself out. Ho therefore concentrated the Brigade's efforts to Attempting to save the ot^iei buildings. The fire in Kempthorne's store was fought valiantly, with the result that there is a mass of stock soddenod with water. Then Messrs. Johnston's store was more successfully worked. The building was heavily stocked with salt, sheep-dip powder, barbed wire, dothes-peg», gasmeters, aad A.mericun axes. There were no dangerous goods in this building ; and a considerable portion of tho stock uas been saved, in some instances the packing cases being scorched and their contents uninjured. Messrs- Briscoe and Co.'s premises were practically uninjured. The store was lightly stocked, the contents including about 1000 cases of kerosene and a number of bales of kapoc. Messrs. Tnrnbuil nnd Co.'s two stores on the south side were also uninsured. SUPERINTENDENT HUGO INTERVIEWED. Interviewed this morning regarding the fire, Superintendent Hugo informed a Post representative that when he arrived on the scene of the fire with the Brigade? shortly after receiving tho -alarm (10.24 o'clock) last night, it appeared to him that the fire was confined to the most northern building, that of tho Colonial Oil Company. Tho brigadesmeu fought the fire well, witn great courage, nud, tlespite the danger of the bomb-explosions, no man was hurt. The Brigade did all that could possibly bo expected under the circumstances. The "steamer" was not taken to the fire, because there was no convenient place for it to be used in connection with the hnrbour. Our reporter suid it had bcei^ suggested by an insurance manager that kerosene should be stored in « hulk in tho harbour, and not near the city. What did the Superintendent think of tho suggestion ? "Well," replied Captain Hugo, "there is danger to shipping if iv hulk continuing kerosene caught firo in a harbour like Wellington." STOCK AKD INSURANCES. Tho total risks held by the insurance companies coucorned amount to £7900, I which is divided among jialf-a-dozen different companies. The stow of tho Colonial Oil Company, which was totally destroyed, wus not covered by insurance, the company preferring to take its own risks, 'lho company, which has its bondquarlors in Melbourne, is really a branch of the famous Standard Oil Company, probably the greatest oil cqmbine in the world. Messrs. W. and G. Turnbull and Company are the local agents. The store destroyed contained some 5000 cases of "White Rose" kerosene, anil some 1200 cases of "Tea. Rose" brand, tho whole of which was burnt up. Mossrs. Turnbull and Company have two other stores adjacent, each of which contained kerosene, and also stocks of benzine and naphtha., but these wero untouched by the fire. Messrs. Levin and Company have nu interest in one of these stores, and

consequently suffer no loss. There was no naphtha or benzine in the Colonial Oil Company's store. Asked to-day vow tho lois of so much oil would affect the local market, Mr. Turnbull did not consider it would have any effect. They had stock enough to carry them along until next mon tli, when a shipment of 70,000 cases is due ta arrive. Messrs. Johnston and Company have suffered partial loss, and their insuruncea run to £4700— £4500 on stock and £200 on building. The stock consisted largely of Co vans gas-metera (for which th« firm are (ho isorth Island agents), sheep dip both in liquid and m .powder, wire, clothes-pega, wool packs, salt, brooms; oils, and ironmongery. The fire did some amount of damage, and the whole p:ace was deluged with water. Tho salt, which is woter-soaked aud practically useless, was stacked along the wall on the city side, adjacent to .Messrs. Briscoe, Mac* Neil and Co.'s store, which, it probably saved from destruction. The risks on Messrs. Kempthome, Pros. ser and Co.'s buildings amount to £3200. Tho firm have two stores,' the one in front containing dangerous goods, and tho other bulk .goods for the purposes of their business. The insurances are di. vided as follows: —On the bulk store: Alliance * Company (part re-iiisured)L £1750$ Royal Exchangu, £900; StamC ard, £250 — «J1 on stock — and £100 in th* Royal Exchange on the building. The dangerous goods store Mas insured with the Liverpool, London and Globe Company for £200— £125- on the stock, and £75 on the building. Tlw dangerous goods consisted chiefly of oils, acide, and spirits, and the goods in the bulk store of drugs and chemists' sundries in considerable quantity. The fire practical, ly made a clean sweep of both places, and there will appiro-ntly be but littl* salvage. None of the firms affected by the fir« aro yet in a position to stale the amount of their losses, but they wiH apparently be s considerable. Tho kerosene stores being outside tho city boundary — i.e., in the Onslow Borough — they are not governed by the dangerous goods bylaw of the Wellington City Council, which limits the kerosene* and similar stocks within the city to 200 gallons, or, if the building is fireproof, 1600 gallons. The land on which the stores stood is leased by the storeowners from the Rhode? Estate. The stores are, however, licensed under tho Onslow Borough bylaw, which simply makes provision against the erection of such stores "adjacent to otLer buildings. The Onslow Borough mokes a periodi<v inspection.