DAMAGE BY WIND

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 46, 3 December 1938, Page 8

DAMAGE BY WIND

ROOFS TORN FROM BUILDINGS ASHBURTON ARCADE SUFFERS % SEVERAL WINDOWS BLOWN OUT SHEETS OF IRON HIGH IN AIR Serious damage was done to roofs and plate glass windows in the centre of the business area of Ashburton just before 3 o’clock this afternoon, when a whirlwind swept across a space of about 50 yards, carrying debris high in the air and folding back roofing iron as if it was paper. Taking the roof off buildings in the Arcade, the terrific draught of air blew in three plate glass windows at the northern end of the Arcade. Heralded by a strange roaring sound, the whirlwind started its brief, but mad career just in front of the “Guardian” office, from the face of which it whirled large sections of concrete work and dashed them into the roadway, though none of the pieces did any damage. Two motor cars standing in the street escaped damage. The whirlwind moved suddenly southward, and the noise increased to a violent whistle. Roofing Iron Travels Half a Mile. For a minute or so the centre of the disturbance remained over the shops on the eastern side of the north end of the Arcade, and several sheets of iron were lifted and hurled from 200 to 300 feet in the air, where they floated about for some minutes after they were released from the vortex caused by the wind. Some of these sheets landed in the plantation on the bank of the Ashburton River, fully half a mile from where they were torn loose.

Moving again slightly- to the eastward, the whirlwind caught a wide shelter roof adjoining the rear of Mr C. E. Bailey’s premises in Tancred Street, and there the worst damage was done. Whole sections of this roof were lifted into the air and blown over the adjoining shops. One section, about 20 feet square, landed in the right-of-way beside Mr Bailey’s showroom and another section almost as large came to rest on the roof against the ornamental front section of the building, and hanging over the right-of-way.

Two rural mail carriers who were attending to their motor cars in the garage behind Mr Bailey’s shop had a lucky escape from injury. Portions of the roof above their heads were whirled away in a flash and dust, shingle and tins and any other small objects lying near were sucked up into the air. Both men ran for shelter in a more substantial part of the building. Blinding clbuds of dust swirled in the Arcade and as this cleared away people who were busy in their shops came in view, some of them rather wild-eyed after the uncanny experience of a few moments before. Several men who were close to the centre of the trouble, at the back of the premises facing on Burnett Street, had to run for their lives as pieces of roofing iron, petrol drums and general debris rained down on them. A business man who had just gone out on to Burnett Street as the whirlwind started found himself minus his coat and hat, which were in his shop, the door of which had been slammed by the wind. His keys were in his coat pocket. When the sections of roof came away near Mr Bailey’s premises two or three large -wireless aerials were 'brought down. At the North End of the Town. A similar disturbance, but not of such intensity, was experienced at Peter Street east, between East and Cass Streets, and a wireless aerial was brought down there, also. The afternoon had been one of unusual conditions, the sky indicating the imminence of a thunderstorm, and as the whirlwind passed south the clouds above it were seen to be in a very agitated state. A tin shed in a coal and firewood merchant’s yard between Cameron Street and the Triangle was lifted more or less bodily and carried over the nearby fence. Several windows were also broken. Dahlberg’s motor-cycle wrecking depot, next to this, also suffered damage, for a door at the back of the building was plucked from its hinges and blown several feet. A large, heavy bench in the yard was caught by the gust and lifted some distance. Other minor damage was also done, and several windows in the Triangle frontage of the premises were shattered, and the broken pieces blown across the street. *

A small car parked outside Drummond and Etheridge’s garage in East Street was lifted over the side channel and blown for 50 yards down the street before coming to a stop. No damage was done.