FACTORY FIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 10, 12 January 1934, Page 3

FACTORY FIRE.

SMOKE HINDERS BRIGADE DRYING ROOMS DAMAGED. Dense smoke hindered the Mount Eden and Mount Roskill Brigades in suppressing , an outbreak of fire at the factory of New Zealand Wallboards, Ltd., in Balmoral Road this morning, but the brigades were successful in confining the fire to the four drying rooms in which it smarted. When discovered by the night watchman about 5.40 a.m. the flames already had a good hold of the wooden racks in which the newly-manufiactured wallboard is placed for drying. The draught of hot air which is driven through the drying rooms by electric fans had caused the fire to spread with unusual rapidity, and the racks in all four rooms wore ablaze, while the damp wallboard was giving off dense -clouds of smoke. The lower walls of the drying rooms were of brick, with wallboard above them. The wallboard helped to prevent the flames spreading to the rafters and setting fire to the rest of the building, but the whole contents of the drying rooms were either destroyed or irreparably damaged. However, the factory is expected to resume production in about a week's time. The plant is insured in the London and Lancashire office for £7000.