THE FIRE FIGHTERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 78, 2 April 1928, Page 10

THE FIRE FIGHTERS.

THREE IN CASUALTY LIST. ITBUCX BY BLAZING OIL. drum. RESCUED BY THEIR COMRADES.

As the result or Injuries suffered while fighting tae flames, two firemen are in the Auckland Hospital. One is Mr. Ronald Beuth, aged 23, an engine driver, residing at the Central Station, whose condit.on was reported by the hospital authorities to-day to be critical. The other is Mr. Robert Walker, also of .he Central station. He is out of danger. A third fireman, Mr. C. Harper, of tae i Western District Station, received minor! injuries, but was able to proceed to his I home. i

■It was at 4 o'clock that the one seri»ua accident of the rire happened. The lames nad been steadily increasing in ury, and there were frequent heavv xploaions. Through openings in the lOuth wail blazing benzine was freely ■ouring. Scraps of timber and drum.-! it bitumen stacked against the wail "ere ablaze. One iead of hose was Jeing played on the wail and another on ne outside rire. With each explosion there came np a nass or flaming material like burning ■ into.l, and this would be hurled into he air, sometimes to a height of about [ A earning had been given to he firemen who were placing hoses on he south wall to look out for danger, t came with the next explosion, with errifying efFect. One of the big blaz-j ng drums started falling in the direc-l ion of the firemen, and despite shouts i >t warning all were not able to jr°t :lear. The burning drum brushed igainst Driver Beuth's side, and in an , nstant hia clothes were ablaze. At the iame terrifying moment t.he other two iremen were borne down by the intense ieat, and the roaring flames. Firemen rushed to the rescue, ano tfter beating out the fire about the perions of their comrades brought them to i place of safety. The condition of Mr. Beuth appeared to be particularly lerious, and he was hurriedly conveyed o the hosp:ta! in a private motor car Ur. Walker, after receiving first aid, vas also taken to hospital. Since the outbreak of the fire mem>ers of St. John .Ambulance have been vresent. and their services have been nost helpful. Apart from a-sistanc ■endered to firemen, they have treated •ivilians for minor hurts. One of these vas a iady, who wrenched her foot in 'ome debris at abont I a.m., and had to , ■>e taken to her home in the ambulant "Oee. it's the thrill we'vo had ' or years.' ' Tn that, the exclamation of j in excited flapper, one may sum np t.he I eelings of the vast crowd which watched ' he process of the '•onflaTration vester-1 ! lay afternoon. Wherever one "moved ! imong the 40.000 or 50,000 people lensely packed on the western reclamaion remarks were heard which went i o show that Aucklanders were enjoyincr c he spectacle as they have enjoyed lothing else. ,\*o one see—ed to be , >othering about the heavy financial loss , nvolved. The blaze was regarded as a 7 iort of All Fools' Day bonfire! a