GARAGE FIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 194, 18 August 1931, Page 7

GARAGE FIRE.

SIX LORRIES DESTROYED.

HEAVY I.OSS AT TAUPIRI

EXPLOSIONS AWAKEN PEOPLE,

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

TAUPIRI, this day.

The serenity of the township of Taupiri wae disturbed by loud explosions in the small hours of this morning. They were caused by the bursting of the benzine tanks of six lorries, which were destroyed in a fire. The garage in which the outbreak commenced was situated in Main Street, and was separated by only a narrow passageway from two shops. The garage was owned by Mr. F. Hall, of Ngaruawahia, the shops by Mrs. G. Metcalfe, of Taupiri, and the lorries by Messrs. Butler and Carroll, contractors, of Hamilton. The owners of the lorries had taken possession of the garage only a fewdays previously. The fire was first noticed by Mr. Williams, a neighbour, who raised the alarm. Several men broke down the back doors and found a lorry in flames just inside the front doors. There being no water available to extinguish the fire, an attempt was made to remove the other lorries. This could be clone only from the rear of the building, but this exit was barred by an old disused lorry, which defied the efforts of the would-be rescuers to remove it. The intense heat at length drove off the men, and all six lorries were consumed, the old building burning rapidly and igniting the neighbouring shops. These were occupied by Mr. A. Fletcher, a bootmaker, who was sleeping on the premises when the fire began. Neighbours helped him to save some of his personal effects, but the wooden building was gutted. No fire-fighting apparatus was available, but a bucket brigade did what they could.