SERIOUS FIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 30, 6 February 1939, Page 4

SERIOUS FIRE.

AT FREEZING WORKS.

BRIGADE'S LONG FIGHT. PORTION OF PLANT GUTTED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) • MASTERTON, Saturday. The most serious fire in the Wairarapa for 20 years completely glutted the .slaughter, cooling and beef rooms at Thomas Borthwick's freezing works at Waingawa at seven o'clock on Saturday evening. Although the fire was outside the fire board's area, Mastcrtoii and Carterton brigades "battled fpr three and a half hours against the flames, using an auxiliary water supply' pumped from the rear of the burning buildings, .and but for their splendid., efforts the fire 'would have swept the whole plant.

The flames made a spectacular sight that drew more that 1000 motorists to the scene.

It is believed the fire originated in the drying room, where the men hang their overalls over hot x>ip es - It is supposed the heat ignited matches left in a pocket. •

The effect of the lire will be very serious on Wairarapa farmers, as this is the busiest season at the works for ten years.: •_

Officials' of the firm to-niglit were unable to estimate the total' damage. Mr. P. J. Borthwick, a : director of the firm, said/ "We will be starting again in ten days' time, and arrangements are being made for drafting and killing elsewhere on Tuesday." All that remained of the slaughter rooms, cooling chamber and beef room to-day was a tangled mass of twisted iron and charred woodwork.